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PRINCETON,    N.    J. 


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BX  9178  .B56  H4 

Booth,  Henry  Matthias,  184  3 

1899. 
The  heavenly  vision  and 


other    sermons 
Number 


tern  wfiffimm 


THE 


HEAVENLY    VISION 


OTHER    SERMONS 


EY 

HENRY     M.     BOOTH,     D.D. 

Pastor  of  the  Presbyterian  Church  of  Englcivoocf,  A7",  y. 


NEW  YORK 
ANSON  D.  F.  RANDOLPH  &  COMPANY 

gOO    BROADWAY,    COR.    20th    ST. 


Copyright,  1885,  by 
Anson  D.  F.  Randolph  &  Company. 


EDWARD  O.  JENKINS'  SONS, 

Printers  and  Stereotypers^ 
20  North  William  Street,  New  York. 


CONTENTS. 


PAGE 

I.— The  Heavenly  Vision, 5 

II. — The  Religious  Opportunities  of  Suburban 

Life, 24 

III.— The  Divine  Estimate  of  Man,        ...      44 

IV. — The  Moral  Ends  of  Business,         ...      63 

V. — Conceptions  of  God,  as  Expressed  by  the 

Sanctuary, 82 

VI.— The  Efficiency  of  Refinement,     .        .        .103 

VII. — The  Question  of  Mordecai,    .       .       .       .126 

VIII.— "The  Sea  is  His," 145 

IX. — The  Past  in  the  Present,       .       .        .       .163 

X. — Distress  Without  Despair,    .        .       .        .183 

XL — Jesus  of  Nazareth — His  Place  in  History,    203 

XII. — The  Gracious  Words— What  were  they  ?  .    223 

XIIL— The  Work  of  Jesus  Christ— What  did  He 

do  ? 243 

XIV. — The  Person  of  Jesus  Christ,  ....    264 

XV. — The  Christian  Life, 285 

XVI. — Leaven— The  Influence  of  Jesus  Christ,    .    305 

XVIL— "  Out  of  Self,  into  Christ,  up  to  Glory,"   .    327 

(3) 


THE   HEAVENLY  VISION. 

"Whereupon,  O  King  Agrippa,  I  was  not  dis- 
obedient unto  the  heavenly  vision."  —  ACTS 
xxvi.  19. 

The  Apostle  had  reference  to  the  memorable  cri- 
sis, which  was  his  introduction  to  the  Christian  life. 
He  had  lived  long  enough  to  appreciate  the  signifi- 
cance of  that  crisis,  both  as  to  purpose  and  influence. 
In  it,  he  had  discovered  the  ideal,  which  he  had  been 
trying  to  realize  ever  since ;  and  in  it,  also,  he  had 
found  a  sacred  magnetism,  which  had  been  to  him  a 
perpetual  solicitation.  He  had  been  like  Moses,  to 
whom  God  had  revealed  the  plan  of  the  Tabernacle. 
From  Mount  Sinai  to  the  plain  of  the  Hebrew  en- 
campment, the  venerable  leader  had  carried  the  plan, 
which  skilful  workmen  had  afterward  expressed.  The 
impression  of  the  crisis  had  never  ceased  to  control 
Paul.  He  had  crossed  the  continents,  and  had  en- 
countered every  variety  of  thought ;  he  had  endured 
hardships,  and  had  passed  through  many  eventful  ex- 
periences ;  he  had  advanced  from  youth  to  maturity 
and  thence  to  old  age  ;    and  yet  he  had  never  lost 

(5) 


6  THE  HE  A  VENL  Y  VISION. 

sight  of  the  ideal,  whose  welcome  invitation  had 
called  him  "  to  press  toward  the  mark  for  the  prize 
of  the  high  calling  of  God  in  Christ  Jesus." 

In  the  presence  of  King  Agrippa  and  a  splendid 
retinue,  the  Apostle  had  appeared  to  explain  his 
conduct.  He  was  a  prisoner  of  the  Romans.  Jewish 
enmity  charged  him  with  sedition  and  conspiracy. 
He  had  made  an  appeal  unto  Caesar,  and  was  await- 
ing the  time  of  his  departure  for  the  Imperial  City. 
The  Procurator,  Porcius  Festus,  was  interested  in  his 
case,  and  was  glad  of  the  opportunity  of  bringing  him 
before  his  royal  guests.  The  occasion  was  one  of  un- 
usual magnificence.  Paul  was  facing  a  brilliant  court, 
as  he  stood  to  relate  the  circumstances  of  his  life. 
This  was  not  a  defence.  His  appeal  had  transferred 
the  trial  to  Rome.  He  was  simply  responding  to  the 
orders  of  the  Procurator,  who  had  summoned  him 
from  his  prison  to  entertain  Agrippa  and  Bernice. 

With  intense  enthusiasm,  the  Apostle  described 
his  conversion,  dwelling  minutely  upon  the  vision 
which  he  had,  as  he  was  on  his  journey  to  Damas- 
cus. That  vision  was  to  him  a  convincing  argument. 
So  evident,  so  satisfactory  was  it,  that  he  promptly 
yielded  his  life  to  its  control.  From  that  hour,  he 
had  been  a  Christian.  His  subsequent  career  had 
confirmed  the  faith,  which  he  then  exercised,  as  he 
had  practically  made  himself  over  into  a  new  man 
under  the  influence  of  the  heavenly  vision.     Thus  as 


THE  HE  A  VENL  Y  VISION.  y 

he  stood  in  the  presence  of  royalty,  his  simple  man- 
hood— so  heroic,  so  pure,  so  Christlike — was  more 
brilliant  than  all  the  glitter  of  the  pompous,  licentious 
court.  Never,  for  one  moment,  had  he  been  disobe- 
dient unto  the  heavenly  vision.  The  recompense  had 
been  secured,  and  Paul's  life  and  work  were  its  grand 
realities. 

This  same  heavenly  vision  presents  to  us  its  glori- 
ous possibilities  of  purpose  and  influence.  We  may 
not,  it  is  true,  see  a  bright  light  and  hear  a  divine 
voice  upon  the  Damascus  Road.  There  are  many 
travellers  who  make  the  journey  from  Jerusalem  to 
Damascus  without  any  consciousness  of  visions ;  and 
yet  there  are  many  pilgrims  who  never  visit  the 
Holy  Land,  whose  march  is  directed  and  cheered  as 
they  become  conscious  of  this  same  heavenly  vision. 
They  share  with  Paul  the  ecstasy,  and  unite  with  him 
in  acknowledging  their  dependence  upon  the  strength. 
They  "  endure  as  seeing  Him  who  is  invisible."  The 
heavenly  vision  commands  their  obedience  at  every 
step  of  this  heavenward  progress — beginning,  middle, 
and  end.  It  is  the  sun  of  their  spiritual  firmament, 
whose  genial  rays  address  the  feeble  infancy  of  ex- 
perience with  promise,  the  strong  maturity  of  reali- 
zation with  fulfilment,  and  the  timidity  of  the  earthly 
termination  of  life  with  hope.  Always  present,  and 
yet  always  ahead,  the  heavenly  vision  is  constantly 
announcing  new  revelations,  and  as  constantly  afford- 


8  THE  HEAVENLY  VISION. 

ing  new  delights.  Oh  !  that  we  might  be  led,  by  the 
Holy  Spirit,  to  a  happy  appreciation  of  its  place  and 
opportunity  !  Oh  !  that  we  might  exhibit  the  fidel- 
ity of  Paul,  which  appeared  in  his  noble  Christian 
life  !  Oh !  that  we  might  be  permitted  to  make  his 
good  confession  :  "  I  was  not  disobedient  unto  the 
heavenly  vision  ! "  But  just  what  is  this  heavenly 
vision?  How  is  it  possible  that  we,  in  our  day  and 
country,  should  accept  this  as  our  purpose  and  influ- 
ence? 

1st.  The  heavenly  vision  is  the  revelation  of  Christ. 
To  Paul,  this  vision  was  a  clear,  definite  manifestation 
of  the  Redeemer,  which  qualified  him  for  his  Apostle- 
ship.  "  Am  I  not  an  Apostle  ?  "  he  asked  as  he  ad- 
dressed the  Corinthians.  "  Am  I  not  free  ?  Have  I 
not  seen  Jesus  Christ,  our  Lord?"  Then  he  declared 
positively,  that  "  last  of  all  He  was  seen  of  me  also, 
as  of  one  born  out  of  due  time."  Thus  he  placed 
himself  on  an  equality  with  the  other  Apostles,  who 
had  known  Christ  after  the  flesh.  It  would  appear — 
and  yet  we  must  not  be  too  confident — that  an  ob- 
jective revelation  was  granted,  that  he  saw  with  his 
eyes  the  Lord  Jesus,  and  heard  with  his  ears  the 
voice  of  the  Son  of  man.  However  that  may  be,  it 
certainly  pleased  God  to  reveal  His  Son  in  him  in 
such  manner  that  he  was  convinced  of  the  divine 
authority  of  Jesus  of  Nazareth.  This  was  the  es- 
sential thing.     We  need  not  press  the  narrative  un- 


THE  HE  A  VENL  Y  VISION.  9 

duly.  It  is  not  possible  that  we  should  understand 
the  heavenly  vision  as  to  its  method.  "  The  wind 
bloweth  where  it  listeth."  The  methods  of  spiritual 
phenomena  are  always  obscure,  even  when  their  re- 
sults are  evident.  He,  who  is  caught  up  into  Para- 
dise, will  certainly  hear  unspeakable  words.  We  must 
not  be  surprised.  The  revelation  of  Christ  is  for  life, 
not  for  philosophical  speculation,  for  service  rather 
than  for  forms  of  words.  "  If,"  say  Farrar,*  "  we 
would  in  truth  understand  such  spiritual  experiences, 
the  records  of  them  must  be  read  by  a  light  that  never 
was  on  land  or  sea.  Paul  arose  another  man  ;  he  had 
fallen  in  death,  he  arose  in  life ;  he  had  fallen  in  the 
midst  of  things  temporal,  he  arose  in  awful  conscious- 
ness of  the  things  eternal ;  he  had  fallen  a  proud,  in- 
tolerant, persecuting  Jew,  he  arose  a  humble,  broken- 
hearted, penitent  Christian.  In  that  moment,  a  new 
element  had  been  added  to  his  being.  Henceforth — 
to  use  his  own  deep  and  dominant  expression — he 
was  in  Christ — God  had  found  him  ;  Jesus  had  spoken 
to  him,  and  in  one  flash  changed  him  from  a  raging 
Pharisee  into  a  true  disciple — from  the  murderer  of 
the  Saints  into  the  Apostle  of  the  Gentiles." 

The  revelation  of  Christ  still  announces  the  divine 
realities  of  the  Gospel.  Individuals  are  now  permit- 
ted to  appreciate  and  to  enjoy  these  eternal  facts. 


*  "  Life  and  Work  of  St.  Paul."     Vol.  I.,  ic 


10  THE  HEA  VENL  Y  VISION. 

They  make  their  appeal,  and  that  appeal  is  within 
the  range  of  a  sanctified,  personal  consciousness.     I 
may  know,  and  I  may  know  convincingly,  that  Jesus 
Christ  is  my  Saviour,  "  whom  having  not  seen  I  love  ; 
in  whom,  though  now  I  see  Him  not,  yet  believing,  I 
rejoice  with  joy  unspeakable  and  full  of  glory."     If 
this  is  not   true,   then   Christian   consciousness   is  a 
delusion,  and  Christian  history  is  the  record  of  the 
weakest    credulity.     For    Christian    consciousness   is 
based   upon   a  faith  in  the  presence  of  our  blessed 
Lord,  and  Christian  history  describes  the  fidelities  of 
many  holy  spirits  whose  lives  have  been  hid  with 
Christ  in  God.     You  may  ask  the  disciples  of  Jesus 
as  to  their  holy  aspirations,  and  they  will  answer  that 
the  Lord  Jesus  Christ  has  appeared  to  them.     "  Christ 
stood  before  me,"  was  the  confession  of   a  devout 
woman,  "and  I  saw  Him  with  the  eyes  of  the  soul 
more  distinctly  than  I  could  have  seen  Him  with  the 
eyes  of  the  body."     In  such  a  confession,  we  are  able 
to  advance  a  little  in  our  knowledge  of  this  revelation. 
The  eyes  of  the  soul  are  contrasted  with  the  eyes  of 
the  body.     When  we  speak  of  seeing  a  person,  we 
usually  have  reference  to  the  sight  which  is  afforded 
by  the  eyes  of  the  body,  as  when  we  say  that  we  see 
a  friend  upon  the  streets  or  at  his  own  door.     But 
that  is  not  the  only  sight.     The  eyes  of  the  soul  can 
also  see,  as  when  we  are  asked  to  approve  a  descrip- 
tion of  virtue  or  grace.     There  are  mental  photo- 


THE  HE  A  VENL  Y  VISION.  i  z 

graphs ;  there  are  word  pictures.  In  a  proper  sense, 
you  and  I  see  the  German  Emperor  or  the  British 
Queen,  because  we  have  been  made  acquainted  with 
their  intellectual  and  moral  characteristics.  Perhaps 
we  see  them  more  clearly  and  intelligently  than  he 
does  who  catches  a  glimpse  of  their  countenances 
and  knows  nothing  of  their  spirituality. 

We  have  been  taught  that  Christ  is  the  divine  in- 
carnation of  certain  most  excellent  qualities,  that 
truth  and  goodness  are  present  in  Him,  that  forgive- 
ness and  mercy  and  love  and  hope  are  His  announce- 
ments, that  in  His  face  the  glory  of  God  appears. 
This  is  the  teaching  of  the  Bible,  and  this  teaching 
reaches  us  in  the  person  of  Christ.  Can  we  then  see 
Christ  without  seeing  the  lineaments  of  His  counte- 
nance and  His  human  form  ?  If  we  may  not  bring  back 
in  bodily  presence  the  Jesus  who  lived  for  three-and- 
thirty  years  in  Galilee,  may  not  Christ  still  be  in  us 
the  hope  of  glory?  Most  certainly!  The  reality  has 
frequently  commended  itself.  As  a  revelation,  Christ 
has  appeared  to  weary,  anxious  souls  with  hope  and 
blessing,  opening  to  faith  the  splendid  possibilities  of 
life  with  God,  and  shaping  life  here  upon  the  earth  in 
every  least  particular.  Men  have  seen  Christ,  as  the 
artist  sees  his  conception  of  statue  or  cathedral :  as 
the  poet  sees  the  thought  which  he  must  elaborate 
in  Iliad  or  Lost  Paradise ;  as  the  musician  sees  the 
symphony,  whose  matchless  harmonies  he  reduces  to 


12  THE  HE  A  VENL  Y  VISION. 

the  order  of  an  orchestra.  Christ  is  there,  and  we 
are  here.  The  heavenly  vision  is  evident.  There  is 
no  doubt  that  God  is  speaking.  The  divine  call 
awakens  a  response.  Every  energy  is  aroused.  The 
pulse-beats  are  quick  and  eager,  as  the  endeavor  to 
apprehend  that  for  which  also  we  are  apprehended  of 
Christ  Jesus  becomes  influential.  Thus  Pres.  Ed- 
wards— a  man  of  unusual  mental  grasp — describes  his 
own  happy  experience  when  he  says  :  "  I  had  a  view, 
that  for  me  was  extraordinary,  of  the  glory  of  the 
Son  of  God  as  Mediator  between  God  and  man,  and 
His  wonderful,  great,  full,  pure,  and  sweet  grace  and 
love,  and  meek  and  gentle  condescension.  The  per- 
son of  Christ  appeared  ineffably  excellent  with  an  ex- 
cellency great  enough  to  swallow  up  all  thought  and 
conception."  Was  not  that  a  heavenly  vision  ?  Did 
he  not  see  Christ  as  truly  as  Paul  did  ?  Can  we  fail 
to  discover  the  influence  of  the  heavenly  vision  upon 
the  subsequent  life  of  that  great  man  ?  When  the 
eyes  of  David  Livingstone — one  of  Africa's  heroes — 
were  opened  to  behold  the  Saviour,  the  strong  im- 
pulse of  a  holy  love  filled  his  soul  with  most  real  and 
earnest  and  effective  ambitions.  He  did  not  know  it 
then,  but  he  knew  it  afterward,  that  for  him  the 
heavenly  vision  meant  Africa's  redemption,  with  the 
toilsome  life,  which  he  ended  on  his  knees  in  the  rude 
hut  in  Ilala.  It  was  so  too  .with  Gordon,  England's 
lonely  sentinel  at  Khartoum.     The  heavenly  vision 


THE  HE  A  VENL  Y  VISION. 


13 


outlined  his  duties  to  him,  and  then  held  him  firmly 
with  its  divine  constraint,  while  all  the  world  won- 
dered at  the  spectacle  of  courage  and  consecration. 

"  Warrior  of  God,  man's  friend,  not  here  below, 
But  somewhere  dead  in  the  far  waste  Soudan, 
Thou  livest  in  all  hearts  ;  for  all  men  know 
This  earth  hath  borne  no  simpler,  nobler  man." 

It  is  to  this  heavenly  vision,  this  revelation  of  Christ, 
that  I  would  direct  your  thoughts.  You  may  be- 
lieve in  its  reality.  It  is  for  you,  as  it  was  for  Paul. 
What  then  will  life  mean,  if  once  you  appreciate  this 
inspiration,  if  always  you  are  controlled  by  your  esti- 
mate of  Christ? 

2d.  The  revelation  of  Christ  presents  the  ideal 
which  is  a  constant  solicitation  to  holy  endeavor. 
This  ideal  is  practical  and  at  the  same  time  pro- 
gressive ;  it  is  within  my  reach  and  also  ahead  of  me. 
Many  of  our  ideals  are  exhausted.  We  quickly  come 
up  to  them,  and  their  advantages  are  utilized,  and 
they  are  left  behind.  I  suppose  that  every  one  has 
found  this  to  be  true.  In  childhood  we  had  our 
ideals,  and  we  look  back  at  them  now  with  amuse- 
ment, or  pity,  or  both.  Then  other  ideals  became 
influential,  but  they  had  their  day  too,  and  disap- 
peared. Strength  or  wealth  or  beauty  or  pleasure 
or  fame  have  all  solicited  us,  and  over  each,  per- 
chance, we  have  raised  the  bitter  lamentation  of  the 
preacher,  "  Vanity  of  vanities."     We  will  not  learn 


H 


THE  HEA  VENL  V  VISION. 


from  the  experience  of  others.  Every  one  must  be- 
come an  experimental  philosopher  for  himself.  The 
follies  and  the  mistakes  of  the  generations  are  re- 
peated year  by  year.  We  are  no  wiser  than  our 
fathers  were.  Our  ideals  are  so  many  of  them  like 
the  pot  of  money  which  is  said  to  lie  at  the  point  of 
the  rainbow.  The  earthly  vision  lures  us  on  to  dis- 
appointment and  despair.  We  are  seldom  successful 
with  our  cherished  plans,  and  when  we  are,  we  are 
not  happy.  The  question,  "  Is  life  worth  living?"  is 
soberly  discussed  ;  and  a  pessimistic  philosophy  wins 
adherents  in  the  circles  of  fashion  and  pleasure. 

This  should  not  be.  Life  should  be  sweet  and 
interesting,  progressive  and  spiritual.  Where  the 
heavenly  vision  is  distinctly  recognized,  its  powerful 
influence  will  be  felt  in  calls  to  service,  in  bright  an- 
ticipations of  a  future  state,  and  in  most  delightful 
communings  with  God.  The  revelation  of  Christ 
promotes  Christian  optimism  which  is  intelligently 
hopeful.  Therefore  with  this  conviction  we  can 
hardly  fail  to  prize  the  heavenly  vision.  It  is  our 
ideal,  whose  influence  we  cordially  respect. 

The  ideal  meets  us  constantly,  and  is  always  prac- 
tical. The  revelation  of  Christ  is  for  every  age  and 
condition,  and  it  is  within  the  reach  of  all.  Inas- 
much as  it  presents  a  complete  salvation,  its* appeal 
is  addressed  to  sinners  everywhere.  Sin  is  an  inter- 
est which  is  common  to  the  race.     "  All  have  sinned 


THE  HE  A  VENL  Y  VISION. 


n 


and  come  short  of  the  glory  of  God."  There  is  a 
taint  in  human  nature  which  grace  must  remove. 
No  rank,  no  station,  no  ancestral  advantages  can 
secure  an  exemption  from  this  condition.  By  the 
divine  law  of  heredity  we  appear  in  the  world  with 
a  sinful  tendency.  It  is  as  certain  that  a  child  will 
sin,  as  it  is  that  a  child  will  speak.  Yes !  and  more 
so.  This  sinful  tendency  antagonizes  God  and  the 
authority  of  God.  Its  selfishness  is  conspicuous. 
Without  restraint,  it  develops  into  immorality,  and 
crime,  and  death.  "  Sin,  when  it  is  finished,  bringeth 
forth  death."  In  and  of  itself  it  is  hopeless.  Facing 
the  wrong  way,  it  advances,  with  more  or  less  rapid- 
ity, to  despair  and  remorse.  There  is  but  one  hope, 
and  that  is  given  in  the  revelation  of  Christ. 

This  revelation — the  heavenly  vision — meets  sin  in 
all  its  stages  with  pardon,  renewal,  and  perfect  holi- 
ness. A  child  may  respond  to  this  ideal,  and  many 
children  have.  Their  determination  to  accept  Christ 
has  been  the  earnest  of  a  happy  life.  Under  His 
guidance  they  have  formed  strong  and  beautiful 
Christian  characters.  The  traits  which  He  exem- 
plified have  been  secured  by  them  in  the  progress  of 
the  years.  They  have  "  grown  up  into  Him  in  all 
things  which  is  the  head,  even  Christ."  He  has  al- 
ways been  kept  in  view.  Every  interest  has  been 
referred  to  Him.  The  plan  of  life  has  been  defi- 
nitely conceived,   and   the   important  work   of   life- 


1 6  THE  HE  A  VENL  Y  VISION. 

building  has  gone  steadily  forward.  What  a  splendid 
career  has  thus  opened  before  childhood !  Christ. 
The  child  is  to  be  like  Christ.  He  may  occupy  this 
or  that  sphere  of  life ;  he  may  engage  in  this  or  that 
pursuit;  he  may  be  rich  or  poor;  he  maybe  mer- 
chant, farmer,  lawyer,  scholar,  soldier;  but  he  must 
be  increasingly  like  Christ.  And  what  does  this  mean, 
except  that  he  must  be  transferring  to  himself  and 
appropriating  "  whatsoever  things  are  true,  whatso- 
ever things  are  honest,  whatsoever  things  are  just, 
whatsoever  things  are  pure,  whatsoever  things  are 
lovely,  whatsoever  things  are  of  good  report '?  Christ 
is  a  generic,  personal  expression,  which  covers  every 
desirable  characteristic.  The  Christian  should  ex- 
hibit the  finest  types  of  manhood  or  womanhood. 
A  base  Christian,  a  mean  Christian,  an  impure  Chris- 
tian !  What  shall  we  say  of  such  ?  They  travesty 
the  Gospel,  and  bring  reproach  upon  the  Master, 
whose  name  they  bear.  Christ  is  nobility  and  large- 
heartedness  and  purity.  He  rebukes  our  miserable 
selfishness,  and  calls  us  ever  to 

"  Nobler  modes  of  life, 
With  sweeter  manners,  purer  laws." 

How  gladly  then  do  we  encourage  childhood  to 
choose  Christ  as  the  only  perfect  ideal !  How  de- 
lightful it  is  to  see  youth  advancing  toward  the  per- 
fection which  Christ  reveals  !   We  want  nothing  less  ; 


THE  HE  A  VENL  Y  VISION.  1 7 

we  can  be  satisfied  with  nothing  less.  Let  the  end 
of  their  conversation  be  "  Jesus  Christ,  the  same  yes- 
terday, and  to-day,  and  forever." 

Then  what  a  grand  encouragement  the  heavenly 
vision  is  to  the  wasted,  dissolute  life !  Alas,  that  we 
must  say  so,  but  the  Parable  of  the  Prodigal  Son  is 
as  fresh  and  pertinent  as  an  item  in  the  daily  paper. 
The  far  country  is  populous,  and  the  journey  thereto 
is  as  direct  as  the  route  of  a  trunk-line.  The  law  of 
degeneracy  is  painfully  evident.  With  or  without 
their  portion  of  the  estate,  so  many  of  the  sons  of 
God  leave  the  Father's  house  to  waste  their  sub- 
stance with  riotous  living.  Often  we  meet  them  in 
despair,  poor,  ragged,  forsaken,  with  nothing  to  eat 
but  the  wretched  husks,  which  are  fit  only  to  feed 
swine.  Now,  what  can  we  say?  What  vision  can  we 
offer  them  ?  Will  they  be  received  if  they  return  in 
their  rags,  after  these  years  of  wickedness?  Can 
they  find  their  way  back  to  the  Father's  house?  Is 
their  condition  hopeless?  No!  We  may  speak  of 
the  heavenly  vision  ;  we  may  encourage  them  to  look 
for  it ;  we  may  assure  them  that  a  welcome  will  be 
theirs  ;  we  may  even  convince  them  that  they  may 
be  washed,  that  they  may  be  sanctified,  that  they 
may  be  justified  in  the  name  of  the  Lord  Jesus,  and 
by  the  Spirit  of  our  God.  Surely  that  is  good  news  ! 
Think  of  what  it  would  have  been  to  the  Prodigal 
Son  in  his  misery  and  loneliness  among  the  swine,  if 


IS  THE  HEAVENLY  VISION. 

one  of  noble  aspect,  and  generous  resources,  and 
tender  sympathies  had  appeared  to  say  :  "  My  brother, 
this  is  not  the  life  for  you.  You  are  wanted  in  the 
old  home.  There  a  welcome  is  prepared  for  you.  I 
will  be  your  companion.  In  time,  you  may  become 
as  noble  and  generous  and  happy  as  I  am."  Think 
of  the  influence  of  such  an  assurance !  Yet  precisely 
that — yea,  and  much  more — meets  every  wayward, 
profligate  life,  when  Christ  is  present.  "  The  wages 
of  sin  is  death ;  but  the  gift  of  God  is  eternal  life, 
through  Jesus  Christ  our  Lord." 

Another  phase  of  the  subject  appears  when  ser- 
vice is  considered.  The  heavenly  vision  is  a  call  to 
service.  John,  the  aged  Apostle,  appreciated  the 
Gospel  when  he  wrote  :  "  Whoso  hath  this  world's 
good,  and  seeth  his  brother  have  need,  and  shutteth 
up  his  bowels  of  compassion  from  him,  how  dwelleth 
the  love  of  God  in  him  ?  "  The  Gospel  is  love,  and 
the  love  of  the  weak,  of  the  stranger,  of  the  degraded, 
of  the  enemy.  Around  this  estimate  of  the  Gospel, 
the  bright  Christmas  legends,  known  and  read  of  all 
men,  have  grouped  themselves  with  the  evident  de- 
sign of  enforcing  the  truth  that  Christ  is  served  in  the 
service  of  humanity,  "  Inasmuch  as  ye  have  done  it  un- 
to one  of  the  least  of  these,  my  brethren,  ye  have  done 
it  unto  me."  Among  these  legends,  I  recently  found 
one  which  is  associated  with  the  ancient  Saxon  cus- 
tom of  burning  the  yule-log  "  to  keep  the  divine  in- 


THE  HE  A  VENL  Y  VISION.  Yg 

fant  from  the  cold."  A  selfish  man,  who  had  plenty 
of  money,  but  no  sympathy,  was  keeping  his  Christmas 
all  alone,  and  out  of  deference  to  the  day,  he  kept  a 
little  log  burning  with  a  very  feeble  flame.  As  he 
shivered  in  the  chilly  atmosphere  of  his  desolate 
room,  he  fell  asleep  and  dreamed.  In  his  dream  he 
heard  a  voice  which  drew  his  attention  to  a  beautiful 
child  who  stood  near  to  him,  and  said,  "  Jesus  is  cold." 
With  an  impatient  movement,  the  selfish  man  stirred 
the  fire  a  little,  and  said  :  u  Why  don't  you  go  to  the 
farm-house  down  the  lane  ?  You'll  be  warm  enough 
there."  "Yes!"  replied  the  child,  "but  you  make 
me  cold.  You  are  so  cold."  "  Then  what  can  I  do 
for  you  ?  "  "  You  can  give  me  a  gold  coin."  With 
a  great  deal  of  reluctance  the  money-chest  was  opened, 
and  a  gold  coin  was  given  to  the  child.  He  took  it. 
Instantly  the  dingy  room  became  bright  and  cheerful 
as  the  child  hung  up  some  laurel  and  holly,  saying, 
"  These  are  for  life"  and  placed  two  candles  on  the 
shelf,  saying,  "  These  are  for  light,"  and  stirred  the 
fire,  saying,  "  That  is  for  love."  Then  the  door  was 
thrown  open,  and  a  poor  widow,  and  a  sick  man,  and 
orphan  children  were  brought  in  and  seated  at  a  beau- 
tiful repast,  while  the  child  kept  saying,  "  Jesus  is 
warm  now,"  and  the  selfish  man  found  that  he  was 
enjoying  the  scene,  so  that  he  presently  confessed, 
"  I  think  that  I  am  warmer  too."  But  the  child  sud- 
denly disappeared,  and  in  his  place  there  was  a  divine 


20  THE  HEA  VENL  Y  VISION. 

Presence,  and  solemnly  the  words  were  pronounced  : 
"Although  I  am  in  Heaven,  I  am  everywhere;  for 
everywhere  is  Heaven  if  I  am  there.  I  can  not  suffer 
as  I  once  suffered,  but  whenever  my  children  are  cold, 
or  hungry,  or  persecuted,  or  neglected,  I  suffer  with 
them  :  and  whenever  they  are  warm,  and  fed,  and  shel- 
tered, and  loved,  I  rejoice  with  them.  So  that  Jesus 
is  often  cold,  and  Jesus  is  often  warm." 

Looking  into  the  faces  of  your  fellow-men,  can  you 
see  the  possibility  of  the  Christ-likeness  there  ?  Look- 
ing beyond  the  seas  to  distant  continents,  and  to 
races  hardly  known,  can  you  believe  that  Christ  calls 
you  to  bring  them  out  of  heathenism  into  the  glori- 
ous liberty  of  the  sons  of  God  ?  Looking  at  the 
grave  problems  of  social  life,  can  you  realize  the  re- 
sponsibility which  Christ  puts  upon  you  in  this  be- 
half? Looking  at  yourself  with  your  equipment  of 
talent  and  influence,  can  you  hear  any  message  from 
the  skies  which  commands  you  to  serve  ?  If  so,  then 
do  you  behold  the  heavenly  vision.  You  are  not  de- 
pendent upon  the  fancy  or  caprice  of  men.  You  are 
not  recompensed  by  the  returns  of  effort.  A  grand 
ideal  has  presented  itself.  You  are  conscious  of  a 
divine  inspiration.  Your  truest  recompense  is  this 
glorious  fact,  that  you,  a  poor  mortal,  that  you,  a  crea- 
ture of  yesterday,  are  associated  with  the  infinite  God 
in  the  accomplishment  of  the  plans  for  whose  con- 
summation He  gave  His  own  dear  Son.     God  grant  us 


THE  HE  A  VENL  Y  VISION.  2 1 

all  a  clear  perception  of  the  vision  so  heavenly !  May 
we  make  it  both  purpose  and  influence,  and  thus 
serve  our  generation  until  we  fall  on  sleep,  and  are 
gathered  to  our  fathers  ! 

3d.  A  constant  solicitation  to  holy  endeavor  met  a 
response  in  Paul,  whose  significance  was  expressed  by 
his  splendid  life.  "  He  was  not  disobedient  unto  the 
heavenly  vision."  In  other  words,  and  more  positively, 
he  was  faithful.  The  heavenly  vision  captivated  him. 
He  surrendered  absolutely  to  its  control.  Friends 
were  forsaken  when  friendship  meant  the  denial  of 
Christ.  Pharisaism  with  all  its  worldly  preferment 
was  despised  in  comparison  with  the  excellency  of  the 
knowledge  of  Christ  Jesus.  Ease  was  exchanged  for 
hardship.  Perils  were  freely  encountered.  Prisons 
and  dungeons  became  familiar.  And  for  what?  In 
order  that  Paul  might  finish  his  course  with  joy,  and 
the  ministry  which  he  had  received  of  the  Lord  Jesus. 
Was  he  wise  ?  Was  his  life  a  success  ?  Did  the 
heavenly  vision  lure  him  on  to  disappointment? 
Consult  his  biographer  and  answer ;  read  his  letters 
and  know ;  consider  his  influence,  and  appreciate  its 
permanent,  pervasive  strength,  as  the  bounds  of  Chris- 
tendom are  enlarged.  Paul  wrote  his  life  upon  the 
centuries,  and  above  his  name  there  stands  but  one, 
and  that  is  the  name  which  is  above  every  name — the 
name  of  Jesus. 

Shall  we  share  with  him  the  service,  the  joy,  and 


22  THE  HEA  VENL  Y  VISION. 

the  crown,  if  we  are  not  disobedient  unto  the  heavenly 
vision?  Most  assuredly,  because  God  is  no  respecter 
of  persons.  The  promise  is  for  us,  as  it  was  for  Him. 
We  may  see  Christ.  Are  we  watching  for  Him  ? 
Would  we  know  Him  if  He  should  appear?  May  we 
hope  to  keep  to  Him  faithfully?  The  Holy  Spirit 
waits  upon  our  response  to  questions  such  as  these. 
He  can  open  the  sightless  eyes,  and  He  can  train  the 
soul  to  see  the  unseen  things.  He  can  give  steadfast- 
ness of  purpose  and  fixedness  of  endeavor.  He  can 
enlarge  experience  and  quicken  faith.  He  can  do  what 
was  done  for  Moses,  when  from  the  top  of  Pisgah,  the 
Land  of  Promise  was  made  known.  He  can  antici- 
pate the  hour  of  death,  which  to  the  Lawgiver  was 
the  hour  of  vision ;  and  He  can  bring  this  revelation 
of  Christ  to  the  soul's  perception,  when  the  feet  are 
upon  the  threshold,  and  the  years  have  just  begun  to 
be  numbered.  Welcome,  then,  the  gracious  influence 
of  the  Holy  Spirit.  Yield  cheerfully  to  its  control. 
Make  Christ  your  choice.  Regard  the  heavenly 
vision.  Greet  its  sublime  inspiration.  March  under 
its  glorious  leadership.  Other  ideals — minor  and 
subordinate — will  be  reached  and  left  behind  you  in 
the  advance.  This  never.  Like  the  star  that  led  the 
wise  men  of  the  East,  it  conducts  always  to  Christ. 
When  you  have  reached  His  perfection,  when  your 
strength  is  His,  when  your  beauty  is  His,  when  your 
resemblance   is   complete,    then   may  you   speak   of 


THE  HE  A  VENL  Y  VISION. 


23 


other  and  grander  ideals.  But  then,  in  that  happy 
consummation,  you  will  be  with  the  multitude  which 
no  man  can  number,  whose  hearty  sympathy  is  their 
adoration  of  the  Redeemer,  Jesus  Christ.  There  the 
ideal  will  never  more  be  questioned,  for  purpose  and 
influence  will  be  one  in  Christ. 


II. 


THE    RELIGIOUS    OPPORTUNITIES    OF 
SUBURBAN    LIFE. 

"  And  he  left  them,  and  went  out  of  the  city  into 
Bethany ;  and  he  lodged  there." — MATTHEW 
xxi.  17. 

BETHANY  was  a  suburb  of  Jerusalem.  Many  lawyers 
and  merchants  of  the  city  resided  there.  The  town 
was  pleasantly  situate  upon  the  eastern  slope  of  the 
Mount  of  Olives.  It  was  reached  by  three  roads — 
one  of  which  was  the  highway  to  Jericho  and  the 
country  beyond  the  Jordan.  A  grove  of  palm-trees 
afforded  a  delightful  shade  in  the  Summer ;  while  the 
overhanging  cliffs  were  a  secure  protection  against 
the  rough  winds  of  the  Winter.  In  the  distance,  the 
Peraean  hills  were  visible,  and  the  foreground  of  the 
landscape  was  made  attractive  and  beautiful  by  the 
orchards  and  gardens,  whose  fertility  was  contrasted 
with  the  barrenness  of  the  Desert,  which  was  con- 
stantly invading  the  territory  of  "  the  house  of 
dates." 

The  population  of  Jerusalem  could  not  be  accom- 
modated within  the  walls  of  the  city.  Numerous 
(24) 


SUBURBAN  LIFE.  2$ 

public  buildings  occupied  many  desirable  locations, 
while  the  ordinary  business — religious,  political,  mil- 
itary, and  commercial — pressed  the  home-life  of  the 
more  wealthy  citizens  out  through  the  gates  to  enjoy 
the  villas  which  had  been  built  upon  the  surrounding 
hills.  Roman  law  gave  safety  to  the  unwalled  towns 
of  Judea.  The  Jews  quickly  appreciated  the  favor- 
able opportunities  which  were  thus  presented  to 
them.  They  could  secure  the  advantages  of  their 
sacred  city  without  encountering  the  disadvantages 
of  a  city  life.  The  Temple  was  accessible.  The 
courts  of  law  were  within  easy  reach.  The  libraries 
were  open  to  them.  The  shops  and  the  exchanges 
were  not  far  away.  The  suburbs  became  attractive. 
Lightfoot — a  careful  scholar — warrants  the  statement 
that  "  if  there  were  no  gardens  in  Jerusalem,  there 
was  a  girdle  of  them,  reaching  from  its  very  walls 
and  down  the  valleys,  and  up  the  opposite  hillsides. 
On  the  hills  around  rose  the  mansions  of  many  citi- 
zens, and  at  the  bend,  where  the  valleys  of  Kidron 
and  Hinnom  met  beside  the  Pool  of  Siloam,  the  eye 
regaled  itself  with  the  wide  and  rich  verdure  of  the 
royal  gardens." 

Bethany  was  the  suburban  home  of  the  friends  of 
Jesus,  Lazarus,  Martha,  and  Mary.  They  were  evi- 
dently persons  of  consideration,  for  many  of  the  Jews 
came  from  Jerusalem  upon  visits  of  sympathy  after 
the  death  of  Lazarus,  and  the  spikenard  with  which 


26  SUB  URBAN  LIFE. 

Mary  anointed  the  feet  of  Jesus  was  very  costly.  In 
this  home,  the  duties  of  religion  were  not  neglected. 
The  divine  authority  of  the  Old  Testament  Scriptures 
was  recognized,  and  the  precious  truths  of  that  sub- 
lime revelation  determined  the  life  of  the  family. 
Jesus  was  cordially  welcomed  to  their  hospitality, 
and  an  especial  interest  was  manifested  in  His  conver- 
sation. What  incident  is  more  suggestive  than  that 
given  by  Luke,  when  he  introduces  the  practical 
Martha,  busily  engaged  in  providing  for  the  enter- 
tainment of  their  guest,  and  the  contemplative  Mary, 
completely  absorbed  in  listening  to  His  speech  ! 

Six  days  before  the  Passover,  He  arrived  at  the 
dwelling  of  His  friends,  and  there  He  remained,  com- 
ing back  every  evening  from  Jerusalem,  until  the 
morning  of  the  memorable  Thursday  which  witnessed 
His  departure  for  the  Paschal  Supper  and  the  suffer- 
ings of  Calvary.  On  that  morning  He  sent  two  of 
His  disciples  into  the  city  to  make  all  necessary  prep- 
arations, and  at  a  later  hour  of  the  day  He  left  Beth- 
any to  meet  "  the  twelve  "  in  the  designated  "  upper 
room." 

The  retirement  of  Bethany  was  evidently  grateful 
to  Jesus.  When  He  crossed  the  brow  of  the  Mount 
of  Olives,  or  passed  around  its  southern  shoulder,  He 
left  the  angry  controversies  of  Scribes  and  Pharisees, 
and  found  the  peaceful  companionship  of  sympathiz- 
ing friends.     Thus  He  gave  a  tacit  commendation  to 


SUB  URBAN  LIFE.  27 

the  life  which  we,  my  friends,  have  learned  to  prize, 
and  suggested  an  inquiry  into  the  proper  influence 
of  a  suburban  residence  upon  Christian  character. 
This  theme  —  certainly  quite  practical  —  may  prop- 
erly engage  our  attention  at  the  present  time.  We 
are  living  near  to  a  great  city,  and  yet  we  are  living 
in  the  country.  Are  there  advantages  in  a  suburban 
life  which  should  be  appreciated  and  improved  ? 
With  a  clear  recognition  of  some  of  these  advan- 
tages, I  may  hope,  by  a  few  suggestions,  to  stimu- 
late your  thoughts.  Christian  character  is  affected 
by  its  environment.  How  may  we  secure  the  best 
results  from  our  surroundings  ? 

1st.  The  works  of  God  are  constantly  announcing 
the  divine  presence  to  suburban  life.  It  is  a  rare 
privilege  to  live  in  the  midst  of  God's  works.  Per- 
haps they  become  common  things  to  those  who  are 
very  familiar  with  them.  Yet  they  are  not  the  less 
instructive  on  that  account.  Some  of  the  most  prec- 
ious things  become  commonplace  when  they  are 
abundantly  possessed.  Friendship  is  not  always 
valued  at  its  proper  estimate ;  health  is  never  appre- 
ciated until  sickness  comes ;  the  daily  benefits  of 
life,  fresh  air,  food,  water,  sleep,  appear  very  desira- 
ble when  once  we  are  deprived  of  them.  It  is  so 
with  the  works  of  God.  There  are  many  persons 
who  do  not  seem  to  consider  them  in  their  intelli- 
gence  and    beauty.     They  have   eyes,   but   they  see 


28  SUBURBAN  LIFE. 

not.  Sensibility  is  dormant.  No  response  is  given 
to  the  appeals  of  nature.  The  landscape  suggests 
the  market  price  of  broad  acres  or  of  garnered  grain, 
but  offers  no  hint,  to  minds  like  these,  of  the  wisdom 
and  power  which  raised  the  mountains  and  traced  a 
path  for  the  watercourses,  which  clothed  the  meadows 
with  verdure  and  called  the  spreading  oak  from  the 
recesses  of  an  acorn.  There  is  a  sad  loss  here,  which 
remands  to  poverty  not  a  few  of  the  men  who  sup- 
pose that  they  have  become  very  rich.  With  all 
their  wealth  of  territory  or  estate  they  do  not 
have  as  much  profitable  enjoyment  as  the  reverent 
man  has  who  "looks  up  from  nature  to  nature's 
God." 

"  To  him  who  in  the  love  of  Nature  holds 
Comm union  with  her  visible  forms,  she  speaks 
A  various  language  ;  for  his  gayer  hours 
She  has  a  voice  of  gladness,  and  a  smile 
And  eloquence  of  beauty,  and  she  glides 
Into  his  darker  musings  with  a  mild 
And  healing  sympathy  that  steals  away 
Their  sharpness  ere  he  is  aware." 

The  Hebrew  conception  of  nature,  as  we  meet  it 
in  the  Psalms,  was  remarkably  influential.  God  and 
the  works  of  God  were  intimately  associated.  They 
never  supposed  that  these  works  could  have  any  ex- 
istence whatever  without  the  presence  of  God.  God 
was  very  near  to  their  consciousness.  They  were  not 
skilled  in  the  methods  of  science ;  and  yet  the  meth- 


S  UB  URBAN  LIFE.  2g 

ods  of  science,  which  bring  to  light  so  many  of  the 
hidden  things  of  nature,  need  not  keep  us  from  the 
endeavor  to  sympathize  with  their  spirit.  On  the 
contrary,  every  new  announcement  of  science  is  fitted 
to  add  to  our  appreciation  of  the  wisdom  and  power 
which  are  capable  of  such  wonderful  expressions. 
The  universe  is  broader,  the  reign  of  law  is  far  more 
extensive,  the  authority  of  God  is  more  sublime  than 
the  Hebrews  could  have  imagined.  Yet  with  their 
spirit  we  may  keep  pace  with  the  advance  of  dis- 
covery. A  constant  recognition  may  be  given  to 
God.  In  the  heavens  we  may  behold  His  glory,  and 
in  the  firmament  we  may  discover  His  handiwork. 
Each  season  may  bring  us  new  intelligence  of  His 
fidelity  to  the  ancient  promise  that  seed-time  and 
harvest  shall  not  fail,  and  each  morning  may  come 
with  a  fresh  benediction  from  Him,  who  is  our  ex- 
ceeding joy ;  the  plants  and  the  flowers  may  have 
their  appropriate  lessons,  and  the  animals  and  the 
birds  may  suggest  many  profitable  reflections.  The 
book  is  always  open.  There  are  no  restrictions  with 
reference  to  study.  God  invites.  The  opportunity 
is  ours.  May  we  not  always  enjoy  the  reward?  "  I 
would  not,"  says  one  who  has  used  his  suburban  life 
to  the  best  advantage,  "  I  would  not  for  all  the  com- 
fort which  I  might  get  from  the  books  of  the  Alex- 
andrian Library,  or  from  the  Lenox  Library,  give  up 
the  comfort  which   I    get    out   of   nature.      Nature, 


3o  SUB  URBAN  LIFE. 

now  that  I  have  had  the  revelation  of  God  which  in- 
terprets it  to  me,  I  would  not  give  up  for  anything. 
I  had  almost  said  that  I  would  rather  lose  the  Bible 
than  to  lose  my  world.  There  is  no  sunlight  that 
does  not  say  something  to  me  of  the  Sun  of  Right- 
eousness.    There  is  no  created  thing  that  does  not 

say  something  to  me  of  God,  who  framed  it 

There  is  nothing  that  grows,  no  weed,  no  grass,  no 
flower,  no  fruit,  that  is  not  in  some  way  related  to 
God  in  my  thoughts ;  and  I  am  never  so  near  to  Him 
as  when  I  am  in  the  presence  of  His  works,  as  when 
night  or  day  I  am  in  that  solemn  cathedral,  the  world 
of  nature,  and  behold  its  everchanging  beauty." 

Here  are  certainly  privileges  which  no  one  of  us 
should  neglect.  We  can  not  dispense  with  the  in- 
terior, the  more  spiritual  processes  of  grace — of  that, 
I  am  well  aware.  No  one  can  prosper  as  a  Christian, 
if  he  fails  to  use  his  Bible  and  to  wait  upon  the  or- 
dinances of  the  house  of  God.  Yet,  on  the  other 
hand,  we  shall  lose  a  freshness  and  vividness  of  ex- 
perience which  will  add  greatly  to  the  interest  of 
religion,  if  we  do  not  consider  the  works  of  God. 

2d.  In  its  contact  with  the  natural  world,  suburban 
life  finds  many  suggestive  comments  jn  the  truths  of 
the  Gospel.  Our  Lord  delivered  most  of  His  dis- 
courses in  the  open  air.  From  the  objects  around 
Him  and  from  the  phenomena  of  nature,  He  drew 
His  illustrations.     These   illustrations  cover  truths, 


5  UB  URBAN  LIFE.  3 1 

which  announce  themselves  when  the  illustrations 
are  interpreted.  Consequently,  a  Bible  student  must 
be  a  student  of  nature.  One  of  the  best  commen- 
taries is  Dr.  Thomson's  "  The  Land  and  the  Book," 
a  volume  that  places  side  by  side  the  descriptions 
and  references  of  the  Bible  and  the  life  and  customs 
of  the  Holy  Land.  But  we  need  not  visit  the  Holy 
Land  in  order  to  discover  the  hidden  meaning  of 
these  divine  statements.  The  processes  of  nature 
are  much  the  same  the  world  over,  and  here  at  home 
we  may  constantly  gain  instruction  as  we  read  to- 
gether the  two  volumes  of  the  divine  Author.  I  should 
require  an  abundance  of  time  and  an  ability  which  I 
do  not  possess,  if  I  should  propose  to  open  this  sub- 
ject to  you  in  every  particular.  I  shall  be  satisfied  if 
I  can  convince  you  of  the  possibilities — so  rich  and 
fruitful — that  wait  upon  your  personal  endeavors  in 
this  direction.  For  after  all,  what  we  learn  by  per- 
sonal endeavor  is  permanently  helpful  to  us.  The 
man  who  has  discovered  for  himself  the  significance 
of  one  of  these  sacred  analogies  will  be  eager  to  add 
to  his  knowledge  by  new  discoveries.  He  will  fill  his 
mind  with  the  words  of  Christ,  even  when  those 
words  are  mysterious  to  him,  and  then  he  will  gladly 
find  that  nature  has  a  key,  which  unlocks  the  mys- 
teries and  permits  him  to  welcome  the  truth.  Thus 
he  will  live  in  expectation.  His  walks  abroad,  through 
meadows,  gardens,  or  forests,  will  be  as   interrogative 


32  SUBURBAN  LIFE. 

as  are  the  walks  of  miners   when  they  hope  to  be 
able  to  locate  a  claim. 

Perhaps  I  may  aid  you  somewhat,  if  I  develop  the 
methods  of  this  study  by  a  single  reference  to  a  com- 
parison used  by  our  Lord.  He  was  preaching  in 
Galilee,  and  in  the  early  spring.  The  hills  were 
carpeted  with  flowers,  and  His  audience  were  seated 
upon  them.  In  the  midst  of  His  sermon  He  said : 
"  Consider  the  lilies  of  the  field,  how  they  grow ; 
they  toil  not,  neither  do  they  spin,  and  yet  I  say 
unto  you  that  even  Solomon  in  all  his  glory  was  not 
arrayed  like  one  of  these."  The  lilies  were  there  to 
enforce  the  great  and  important  lesson  which  their 
Master  was  announcing,  and  they  are  still  present  to 
offer  Him  their  service.  Without  toiling,  without 
spinning,  with  none  of  the  fret  and  worry  which  are 
so  common  in  human  life,  they  grow  to  their  own  ap- 
pointed perfection,  and  that  is  the  beauty  of  form 
and  the  delicacy  of  fragrance  which  no  royalty  can 
command.  Simply  by  fulfilling  the  law  of  nature, 
simply  by  utilizing  the  opportunities  of  nature,  the 
lily  matures  and  presents  its  flower.  Who  can  fail  to 
grasp  the  thought  of  the  great  Teacher  ?  The  lily  is 
true  to  itself,  and  to  God — hence  the  perfection  ; 
while  man  with  his  neglects  and  self-confidences  is 
always  striving  after  some  ideal  which  he  never  at- 
tains. Let  him  learn  obedience  of  the  lily.  Let  him 
determine  to  respect  God's  method  of  growth  in  the 


SUBURBAN  LIFE.  33 

spiritual  life ;  and  then  let  him  await  calmly  and 
hopefully  the  promised  result.  "  He  that  believeth 
shall  not  make  haste."  We  are  to  grow  up  into  Him 
in  all  things,  and  growth  requires  time.  Let  us  not 
expect  too  much  of  young  disciples.  Jesus  said  that 
the  seed  in  the  good  ground  brought  forth  fruit  with 
patience  ;  and  at  another  time,  He  said  to  His  anxious 
disciples,  "  in  your  patience,  possess  ye  your  souls." 
Ah,  friends,  "  ye  have  need  of  patience,  that  after 
ye  have  done  the  will  of  God,  ye  might  receive  the 
promise." 

The  beauty  of  the  lily,  we  can  not  fail  to  notice,  is 
a  living  beauty.  The  lily  borrows  no  splendor  from 
colors  which  are  not  its  own.  The  raiment  of  Solo- 
mon, magnificent  as  it  was,  could  be  exchanged  for 
the  rags  of  a  beggar.  Many  a  king  has  been  stripped 
of  the  purple.  But  the  living  beauty  of  a  holy  char- 
acter is  as  real  and  as  personal  as  is  the  adornment  of 
the  lily.  It  can  never  be  taken  away  from  the  Chris- 
tian. While  it  is  most  attractive  in  the  conspicuous 
positions  of  earthly  honor  and  renown,  it  is  equally 
attractive  in  the  humble  abodes  of  poverty,  in  the 
wards  of  hospitals,  in  captivity,  in  dungeons.  There 
is  nothing  artificial  in  the  character  which  can  thus 
manifest  the  grace  of  God. 

Then  our  dear  Lord  directs  attention  to  the  indi- 
vidualizing features  of  the  divine  interest,  "  like  one 
of  these," — even  one  lily,  surely  an  insignificant  ob- 


34 


SUBURBAN  LIFE. 


ject ! — is  regarded  by  God.  "  We  take  up  at  ran- 
dom," the  botanist  remarks,*  "  any  single  plant  from 
a  whole  meadowful,  and  we  find  that  it  is  as  complete 
in  all  its  parts,  and  as  admirably  adapted  for  its  pur- 
pose, as  though  it  were  the  only  object  in  the  uni- 
verse ;  and  untold  millions  of  such  flowers  are  born 
and  die  every  year  in  lonely  places,  where  no  human 
eye  beholds  them,  and  their  sweetness  seems  to  be 
wasted  on  the  desert  air."  Is  there  no  encourage- 
ment in  this  assurance?  Who  does  not  sometimes 
feel  that  his  poor  life  is  of  very  little  account,  and 
that  even  God  must  overlook  him?  We  seem  to  be 
lost  in  the  mass  of  humanity.  There  are  so  many  per- 
sons in  the  world,  and  we  are  so  insignificant !  "  What 
is  man  that  Thou  art  mindful  of  him?"  Is  the  indi- 
vidual considered,  or  is  consideration  reserved  for  the 
race  ?  May  /  pray,  and  will  God  hear  me  ?  Shall  / 
live  forever,  and  is  there  a  mansion  in  the  Father's 
house  for  met  Jesus  answered  these  questions  by 
pointing  to  the  lily,  "  like  one  of  these,"  even  one. 
"  And  if  God  so  clothe  the  grass  of  the  field,  which 
to-day  is  and  to-morrow  is  cast  into  the  oven,  shall 
He  not  much  more  clothe  you,  oh,  ye  of  little  faith?" 
Yes !  we  may  trust  Him.  Like  the  Good  Shepherd 
who  knows  His  sheep,  and  calls  His  own  sheep  by 
name,  He  regards  us  individually,  so  that  we  may 


*  "  Two  Worlds  are  Ours/'  p.  5. 


SUBURBAN  LIFE. 


35 


joyfully  say,  as  Paul  did,  "  He  loved  me  and  gave 
Himself  for  me" 

The  lily  in  the  field  is  but  one  of  many  lilies,  while 
the  lily  in  the  sick-room,  or  upon  a  mission  of  friend- 
ship, is  performing  an  especial  service.  And  is  not  this 
also  true  of  every  life  that  has  been  made  beautiful 
by  God  ?  That  life  adds  to  the  homage  which  God 
receives  from  men,  so  long  as  it  is  but  one  of  many 
lives  in  the  Church ;  but  when  it  brings  itself  for 
helpfulness,  or  sympathy,  or  strength,  or  counsel,  into 
contact  with  the  needy  and  the  suffering,  it  discovers 
a  peculiar,  a  distinct,  a  personal  interest,  which  offers 
unusual  homage.  Thus  an  ordinary  confession  of 
Christ  is  most  welcome,  while  an  extraordinary  ex- 
hibition of  love  in  service  is  doubly  welcome. 

We  need  not  pursue  these  analogies.  You  under- 
stand me  now,  I  trust,  when  I  say  that  the  natural 
world  presents  many  fresh  comments  on  the  truths 
of  the  Gospel ;  and  not  simply  on  the  truths  of  the 
Gospel,  but  on  all  portions  of  the  Word  of  God  as 
well.  Our  contact  with  the  natural  world  becomes 
an  expositor.  How  much  more  meaning  there  seems 
to  be  in  this  out-of-doors  book,  the  Bible,  when  we 
study  it  out  of  doors.  "  Thy  righteousness,"  ex- 
claims the  psalmist,  "  is  like  the  great  mountains." 
What  a  sublime  comparison  !  How  suggestive !  Yet 
it  needs  the  mountains  to  make  it  evident.  How 
can  a  man  of  the  pavements,  who  never  sees  a  moun- 


36  SUBURBAN  LIFE. 

tain,  grasp  a  thought  like  this?  How  impressive  the 
thought  is  when  it  is  considered  in  the  presence  of 
some  bold,  ragged,  moss-covered  cliffs  like  the  Pali- 
sades !  "  Thy  judgments  are  a  great  deep  ";  without 
the  ocean  to  send  back  an  answer,  what  will  our  in- 
quiries into  the  meaning  of  that  magnificent  simile 
avail?  "With  Thee  is  the  fountain  of  life";  where 
but  to  a  living  spring  shall  we  go  to  gain  an  appre- 
ciation of  the  outpouring,  effusive  nature  of  life, 
which  finds  its  perennial  source  in  God  ?  Thus  the 
opportunities  of  suburban  life  become  very  precious 
to  the  student  of  the  Word.  He  walks  abroad  in  pur- 
suit of  knowledge,  and  he  returns  with  confirmations 
of  the  divine  origin  of  the  sacred  volume,  which  are 
more  eloquent  to  him  than  the  grapes  of  Eshcol  were 
in  the  camp  of  Israel,  when  they  were  presented  in 
proof  of  the  fertility  of  the  Promised  Land. 

3d.  Christian  fellowship  discovers  its  sacredness  in 
the  intimacy  of  suburban  life.  Now,  I  shall  be  di- 
verted from  my  purpose,  and  shall  consume  valuable 
time,  if  I  undertake  to  meet  the  complaints  which 
often  arise  respecting  the  reserve,  the  distance,  or 
the  unfriendliness  of  suburban  life.  They  are  real, 
and  I  regret  that  they  are.  But  they  are  not  peculiar 
to  suburban  life.  The  city  is  well  acquainted  with 
them.  There  is  no  place  in  the  world  where  one  can 
be  as  lonely  as  in  a  great  city  ;  there  is  no  solitude 
like  the  solitude  of  a  great  crowd.     And  then,  too, 


SUBURBAN  LIFE. 


37 


we  are  apt  to  think  that  the  small  talk,  the  common 
gossip,  which  happens  to  concern  our  affairs,  is  the 
worst,  the  most  contemptible  small  talk  and  gossip 
that  can  be  heard.  Yet  we  have  only  to  cross  over 
to  the  next  town  to  match  it ;  or  we  have  only  to 
commune  with  the  past  to  discover  its  successful 
rival.  The  government  of  the  tongue,  alas,  it  is  not 
one  of  the  lost  arts  ;  it  is  still  one  of  the  undiscovered 
arts.  We  may  not  hope  to  witness  its  beneficent, 
practical  rule,  until  there  is  a  complete  submission  to 
God  of  the  human  heart :  for  "  out  of  the  abundance 
of  the  heart  the  mouth  speaketh." 

Without  the  exercise  of  a  critical  spirit,  however, 
we  may  readily  appreciate,  I  imagine,  the  sacred- 
ness  of  Christian  fellowship,  where  intimacy  is  pos- 
sible. And  the  circumstances  of  life,  the  informality, 
the  quiet,  the  leisure,  which  a  suburban  residence 
allows,  are  most  favorable  to  the  maturing  of  friend- 
ships. Christian  character  develops  in  connection 
with  friendship.  The  early  Church  was  a  brother- 
hood. We  lose  a  great  deal  when  we  lose  the  stimu- 
lating energy  of  religious  conversation.  "  Iron  sharp- 
eneth  iron ;  so  a  man  sharpeneth  the  countenance  of 
his  friend."  We  must  learn  to  converse.  It  is  easy 
to  talk  ;  but  talking  is  not  conversation.  Most  of  our 
talking  is  about  individuals,  while  the  best  of  our  con- 
versation is  upon  themes.  When  the  two  disciples 
were  on  their  way  to  Emmaus  they  communed  to- 


3  8  SUB  URBAN  LIFE. 

gether.  Their  communion  was  not  a  recital  of  per- 
sonalities about  Peter,  James,  and  John,  but  an  earn- 
est consideration  of  the  sublime  truths  of  the  Lord's 
death  and  resurrection.  We  need  more  of  such  com- 
munion. These  high  themes  must  become  a  part  of 
familiar  speech.  I  see  no  reason  why  the  countenance 
should  assume  a  solemn  aspect,  and  the  voice  assume 
unnatural  tones,  when  we  converse  about  "  Jesus  and 
His  love."  Let  us  be  frank  and  ingenuous,  brethren  ! 
Let  us  encourage  holy  conversation.  Let  us  welcome 
the  questions  of  children.  Let  us  prize  the  mature 
wisdom  of  old  age. 

"  For  conversation,  choose  what  theme  we  may, 
And  chiefly  when  religion  leads  the  way, 
Should  flow,  like  waters  after  summer  showers, 
Not  as  if  raised  by  mere  mechanic  powers. 
The  Christian,  in  whose  soul,  tho'  now  distress'd, 
Lives  the  dear  thought  of  joys  he  once  possess'd, 
When  all  his  glowing  language  issued  forth, 
With  God's  deep  stamp  upon  its  current  worth, 
Will  speak  without  disguise,  and  must  impart. 
Sad  as  it  is,  his  undissembling  heart, 
Abhors  constraint,  and  dares  not  feign  a  zeal, 
Or  seem  to  boast  of  fire  he  does  not  feel. 
The  song  of  Sion  is  a  tasteless  thing, 
Unless  when  rising  on  a  joyful  wing, 
The  soul  can  mix  with  the  celestial  bands, 
And  give  the  strain  the  compass  it  demands." 

Thus  writes  Cowper  of  the  nobility  of  conversation 
I  would,  my  friends,  that  we  might  appreciate  it.  We 
prize  these  friendships.     They  are  sincere.     We  dis- 


S  UB  URBAN  LIFE.  39 

cover  their  strength  when  life's  emergencies  present 
themselves.  Oh,  that  we  might  realize  the  best  re- 
sults of  friendship  in  a  generous,  spiritual  improve- 
ment ! 

4th.  Suburban  life  affords  unusual  advantages  for 
reading,  meditation,  and  prayer.  We  have  the  time 
which  city  life  does  not  allow ;  we  escape  many  of 
the  temptations  which  city  life  presents.  Yet  we 
hear  the  roar  of  the  city ;  we  feel  the  beating  of  its 
pulse ;  we  catch  its  thought  as  quickly  as  it  is  coined. 
Distance  from  the  city  means  dulness.  But  suburban 
life  is  not  distant.  It  is  of  the  city,  and  yet  not  in 
the  city.  Therefore,  under  its  own  conditions  it  must 
mature.  Reading,  meditation,  and  prayer  are  all  pos- 
sible. Reading  fills  the  mind  with  the  treasures  of 
thought.  The  past  and  the  present  meet  in  reading. 
Books  are  cheap.  The  noble  spirits  of  other  ages  and 
lands  become  the  companions  of  the  man  who  reads. 
The  interest  in  such  companionship  should  and  may 
be  cultivated.  "  He  that  walketh  with  wise  men  shall 
be  wise."  God  permits  us  to  enjoy  this  great  privi- 
lege, and  in  this  way  to  secure  a  wisdom  that  is  from 
above.  Be  careful,  then,  in  your  selection  of  read- 
ing. Select  your  reading,  as  you  properly  select  your 
friends.  An  introduction  commends  one  as  an  ac- 
quaintance, and  an  acquaintance  may  become  a  friend. 
Let  it  be  so  with  books.  Indiscriminate  reading  is  as 
bad  as  indiscriminate  contact  with  mankind.     Wait  a 


4o  S  UB  URBAN  LIFE. 

little.  Life  is  too  short  and  the  mind  is  too  sacred 
to  be  abused.  Many  books  may  be  disregarded  en- 
tirely, while  a  few  books  will  repay  close  study.  Em- 
erson has  said  that  "  Nature  is  much  our  friend  in 
this  matter.  Nature  is  always  clarifying  her  water 
and  her  wine.  No  filtration  can  be  so  perfect.  She 
does  the  same  thing  by  books  as  by  her  gases  and 
plants.  There  is  always  a  selection  in  writers,  and 
then  a  selection  from  the  selection."  Let  us  try  and 
be  wise.     We  want  the  best. 

Then  with  reading  we  should  associate  meditation. 
After  the  Apostle  had  urged  Timothy  to  "  give  at- 
tendance to  reading,"  he  added  the  counsel,  "  medi- 
tate upon  these  things."  Reading  resembles  eating, 
and  meditation  digestion.  By  eating,  food  is  received 
into  the  body,  and  by  digestion  it  is  assimilated  ; 
by  reading,  truth  is  received  into  the  mind,  and  by 
meditation  it  is  appropriated  as  experience.  Until 
we  meditate  upon  truth,  we  do  not  really  possess  it. 
The  quiet  hours  of  the  Lord's  Day  are  especially  fa- 
vorable to  meditation  ;  and  he  who  loses  this  blessing 
of  holy  time,  deprives  himself  of  a  rare  privilege. 
For  this  reason,  as  well  as  for  others,  we  should  guard 
the  sacredness  of  the  Lord's  Day.  No  men  need  it 
more  than  the  men  of  active  business  pursuits.  Seven 
days  of  work,  seven  days  of  material  interests,  seven 
days  in  the  smoke  and  grime  of  the  world,  seven  days 
with  care   as  a  despotic   master,   who  could  endure 


SUB  URBAN  LIFE.  4 1 

the  ceaseless  round  with  lash  and  spur  to  keep  him 
ever  at  his  utmost  speed !  God  is  merciful.  He 
gives  a  rest.  The  seventh  part  of  time  is  consecrated 
to  man's  supreme,  eternal  interests.  In  meditation, 
sweet  and  peaceful,  let  us  spend  the  hours  of  the  hal- 
lowed day,  going  from  them  to  resume  toil  with  the 
consciousness  that  we  carry  with  us  the  smile  of  God. 

"  The  spirit  of  the  holy  eve 

Comes  through  the  silent  air 
To  feeling's  hidden  spring,  and  wakes 

A  gush  of  music  there. 
And  the  far  depths  of  ether  beam 
So  passing  fair,  we  almost  dream 
That  we  can  rise  and  wander  thro' 
Their  open  paths  of  trackless  blue. 

"  Each  soul  is  filled  with  glorious  dreams, 

Each  pulse  is  beating  wild, 
And  thought  is  soaring  to  the  shrine 

Of  glory  undefined  ! 
And  holy  aspirations  start, 
Like  blessed  angels  from  the  heart, 
And  bind — for  earth's  dark  ties  are  riven — 
Our  spirits  to  the  gate  of  Heaven."  * 

Then  prayer  becomes  the  natural  language  of  de- 
vout, appreciative  feeling.  The  call  to  prayer  is  not 
the  voice  of  muezzin  from  some  lofty  minaret,  nor  the 
tones  of  swinging  bell  from  the  church  spire,  but  the 
prompting  of  the  heart.  On  bended  knee,  in  silent 
closet,  the  child  of  God  pours  out  his  aspirations  and 


George  D.  Prentice. 


42 


SUBURBAN  LIFE. 


his  love,  and  invokes  a  blessing  which  God  only  can 
bestow  ;  and  then  in  many  quiet  moments  of  the  day, 
when  the  eye  is  filled  with  the  beauty  of  the  divine 
workmanship ;  at  the  evening  sunset,  when  the  horizon 
glows  as  if  it  had  become,  indeed,  the  vestibule  of 
Heaven ;  beneath  the  stars,  when  the  pale  light,  so 
soft  and  soothing,  seems  almost  like  the  greeting  of 
distant  residents  of  other  worlds,  prayer  discovers  its 
blessedness  in  brief  ejaculations  of  adoring  wonder, 
in  restful  communings  with  the  Father  of  spirits,  in 
earnest  entreaties  that  grace  may  abound. 

Under  influences  such  as  these,  the  religious  life 
matures  with  strength  and  symmetry.  God's  Word  is 
the  Book,  and  our  meditation  upon  its  truths  is  sweet, 
while  prayer  clarifies  the  spiritual  vision  to  discover 
new  realities  in  the  sacred  Word,  and  promotes  a  fel- 
lowship which  we  have  with  the  Father  and  with  His 
Son  Jesus  Christ. 

Our  walk  to  Bethany  has  suggested  a  theme  which, 
while  unusual,  is  still  pertinent.  God  has  blessed  us, 
my  friends,  with  opportunities  of  spiritual  improve- 
ment, which  we  should  appreciate  and  improve. 
Ours  is  a  Christian  suburb.  The  men  who  organized 
this  community  were  wise  in  making  the  church  cen- 
tral to  its  life.  We  who  have  come  after  them  have 
endeavored  to  be  true  to  their  good  purpose.  Kindly 
influences  prevail.  The  name  of  our  divine  Re- 
deemer is  the  magnetism  which  secures  our  prosperity 


SUBURBAN  LIFE. 


43 


and  happiness.  Consider  these  opportunities.  How 
are  you  using  them  ?  "  Freely  ye  have  received, 
freely  give,"  our  Saviour  said.  Do  you  recognize  the 
obligation  ?  God  desires  your  service.  Are  you  ren- 
dering it  ?  By  and  by  you  will  leave  us  and  these 
pleasant  surroundings,  leave  us  on  that  journey  from 
which  no  traveller  returns.  What  then  will  you  carry 
with  you?  What  results  will  you  present  as  the 
recompense  of  your  favored  life?  We  shall  meet 
at  the  Day  of  Judgment, — you  to  answer  for  your 
fidelity,  and  I  to  answer  for  mine.  Oh !  brethren 
and  friends,  what  will  be  the  joy  of  that  great  day, 
if  we  shall  all  meet  on  the  right  hand,  if  we  shall 
all  hear  the  "  come,  ye  blessed  !  " 


III. 

THE   DIVINE    ESTIMATE   OF   MAN. 

"How  much  then  is  a  ma?i  better  than  a  sheep?  "— 
Matt.  xii.  12. 

A  GOOD  question  is  an  argument  in  itself.  It  cov- 
ers the  truth  as  completely  as  an  elaborate  statement 
can,  and  then  sends  it  on  its  mission  with  the  impetus 
of  a  projectile.  The  great  teachers  of  antiquity  made 
frequent  use  of  this  method  of  instruction.  Solomon 
among  the  Hebrews  and  Socrates  among  the  Greeks 
were  illustrious  examples  of  the  power  which  a  wise 
man  may  exercise  by  asking  questions.  The  Rabbin- 
ical schools  of  Jerusalem  undertook  to  train  their  pu- 
pils in  this  most  delicate  art,  and  as  a  consequence 
the  streets  and  market-places  of  villages  and  towns 
throughout  Judea  and  Galilee  resounded  with  the 
angry  disputes  which  these  skilful  questions  aroused. 

When  Jesus  appeared,  He  entered  heartily  into  the 
life  of  His  time.  There  was  nothing  of  the  John  the 
Baptist  about  Him.  Where  men  were  accustomed 
to  congregate,  there  He  presented  Himself,  and  the 
themes  which  were  of  pressing  interest  were  the 
themes  which  He  wished  to  discuss.  His  attitude  in 
(44) 


THE  DIVINE  ESTIMATE  OF  MAN.  45 

the  Temple,  when  He  was  only  twelve  years  of  age, 
was  prophetic  of  His  entire  career ;  for  He  was  seated 
in  the  midst  of  the  learned  doctors,  and  He  was  both 
hearing  them  and  asking  them  questions.  As  soon 
then  as  it  became  generally  known  that  He  could 
speak  with  authority,  His  instruction  was  eagerly 
sought.  "  The  common  people  heard  Him  gladly." 
He  met  the  unuttered  desires  of  their  hearts,  and  en- 
couraged them  to  a  familiarity,  which  quickly  became 
expressive.  Thus  He  was  able  to  correct  their  errone- 
ous opinions,  and  to  confirm  their  faith.  He  was  con- 
siderate, and  yet  firm.  The  law  of  God  had  been 
covered  by  the  rubbish  of  their  traditions,  and  He 
wished  to  bring  it  to  light  in  its  simple  beauty  ;  it  had 
been  perverted  by  their  false  interpretations,  and  He 
wished  to  place  it  clearly  before  them  as  a  divine 
thought.  Especially  was  this  the  case  with  reference 
to  the  law  of  the  Sabbath — that  grand,  salutary  law, 
which  is  essential  to  the  best  interests  of  intelligent 
beings.  Jesus  sought  to  restore  the  Sabbath  to  its 
original  position  in  the  divine  economy.  He  endeav- 
ored to  make  it  spiritually  effective,  to  give  it  once 
more  to  man  as  the  brightest,  the  most  helpful  day  of 
the  week.  In  this  endeavor,  however,  He  was  met 
by  the  most  intense  and  bitter  opposition.  Questions 
and  answers  flew  thick  and  fast  whenever  He  touched 
upon  this  important  subject. 

Upon  one  occasion  in  a  synagogue  of  Galilee,  He 


46  THE  DIVINE  ESTIMA TE  OF  MAN. 

met  a  man  with  a  withered  hand.  The  Sabbath 
question  was  then  prominent,  and  His  opponents 
were  very  anxious  to  find  Him  guilty  of  some  gross 
violation  of  the  law.  Pointing  to  the  man,  they  asked 
Him,  "  Is  it  lawful  to  heal  on  the  Sabbath  days?"  His 
prompt  reply  was  a  question  which  drew  their  atten- 
tion to  the  approved  conduct  of  a  shepherd  whose 
sheep  had  fallen  into  a  pit  on  the  Sabbath.  Did  he 
not  lay  hold  on  it,  asked  Jesus,  and  lift  it  out?  What 
else  should  he  do  ?  What  else  would  the  Word  of 
God  teach  him  to  do  ?  Without  waiting  for  a  reply, 
He  instantly  raised  another  question,  which  covered 
the  whole  case  and  was  itself  an  unanswerable  argu- 
ment. "  How  much  then  is  a  man  better  than  a 
sheep?" 

In  this  way,  Jesus  exhibited  the  divine  estimate  of 
man.  He  directed  attention  to  a  shepherd's  interest 
in  a  sheep.  When  the  exalted  character  of  man's 
life  is  considered,  it  is  certainly  reasonable  to  believe 
that  God  must  regard  man  with  a  solicitude  as  genu- 
ine as  that  which  a  sheep  receives  from  a  shepherd. 
At  once,  therefore,  we  are  permitted  to  use  the  many 
references  of  our  Lord  to  the  shepherd  life  of  Pales- 
tine, as  we  undertake  to  acquaint  ourselves  with  God's 
estimate  of  man. 

ist.  Jesus  speaks  of  a  sheep  as  the  property  of  a 
shepherd,  and  of  man  as  belonging  to  God.  In  the 
beautiful  parable,  which  John  alone  has  recorded,  the 


THE  DIVINE  ESTIMATE  OF  MAN. 


47 


ownership  of  the  shepherd  is  particularly  emphasized. 
There  may  be  assistants,  or  hirelings,  who  are  ap- 
pointed to  protect  and  to  lead  the  flock,  but  the  shep- 
herd is  the  owner.  "  To  him,  the  porter  openeth ; 
and  he  calleth  his  own  sheep  by  name,  and  leadeth 
them  out.  And  when  he  putteth  forth  his  own  sheep, 
he  goeth  before  them,  and  the  sheep  follow  him ;  for 
they  know  his  voice."  What  could  be  more  personal  ? 
The  sheep  knows  the  shepherd,  and  the  shepherd  has 
a  name  for  the  sheep.  From  the  midst  of  other  flocks 
he  can  quickly  separate  his  own,  as  he  moves  away 
with  a  clear,  shrill  call.  Then,  in  time  of  danger,  he 
is  ready  to  risk  his  own  life  in  defence  of  the  sheep. 
"  Thy  servant,"  said  David  to  Saul,  "  kept  his  father's 
sheep,  and  there  came  a  lion  and  a  bear,  and  took  a 
lamb  out  of  the  flock;  and  I  went  out  after  him,  and 
smote  him,  and  delivered  it  out  of  his  mouth,  and 
when  he  arose  against  me,  I  caught  him  by  his  beard, 
and  smote  him,  and  slew  him."  "  The  good  shep- 
herd," Jesus  remarked,  "  giveth  His  life  for  the  sheep." 
They  are  His  property.  He  will  not  suffer  them  to 
be  taken  from  Him.  "  I  lay  down  my  life  for  the 
sheep."  "  My  sheep  hear  my  voice,  and  I  know 
them,  and  they  follow  me ;  and  I  give  unto  them 
eternal  life,  and  they  shall  never  perish,  neither  shall 
any  man  pluck  them  out  of  my  hand." 

Now,  it  is  quite  impossible  for  any  one   to   read 
that  parable  without  inquiring  as  to  God's  personal 


48  THE  DIVINE  ESTIMATE  OF  MAN. 

interest.  What  can  it  mean,  if  it  does  not  teach 
that  God  regards  us  individually,  and  that  God  claims 
us  as  His  own  ?  God  is  infinitely  great  and  glorious 
and  the  affairs  of  the  universe  require  the  constant 
watchfulness  of  the  Divine  intelligence.  There  is  an 
eye  that  never  sleeps,  and  an  activity  that  knows  no 
cessation.  The  providence  of  God  is  the  hand  upon 
the  helm,  whose  judicious  pilotage  secures  safety  and 
a  desirable  progress.  We  are  not  driven  to  and  fro 
by  the  winds  of  chance,  and  we  are  not  borne  irre- 
sistibly by  the  strong  currents  of  fate,  because  God 
rules.  In  His  estimate,  human  interests  are  very 
precious.  Our  earth  is  small  in  bulk,  the  Bethlehem 
of  worlds,  indeed,  and  yet  its  moral  quality,  its  spirit- 
ual importance  must  outweigh  the  vast  size  of  planets 
which  have  upon  them  no  intellectual  life.  Science 
confirms  revelation  in  thus  elevating  a  reasonable  and 
responsible  being  to  the  position  of  honor  and  dig- 
nity. The  relative  value  of  worlds  can  not  be  esti- 
mated by  the  standards  of  platform  scales.  The 
moral  is  superior  to  the  intellectual,  and  the  intel- 
lectual to  the  material ;  and  a  thought,  or  an  affec- 
tion, or  a  noble  deed  can  not  be  announced  in  terms 
of  pounds  and  ounces.  This  earth  of  ours  is  to  the 
universe  of  God  what  the  plain  of  Marathon  is  to 
the  geography  of  Greece,  or  the  field  of  Waterloo  is 
to  the  geography  of  Europe — the  theatre  of  a  deci- 
sive struggle.     Here  sin  and  redemption  have  met  in 


THE  DIVINE  ESTIMATE  OF  MAN.  49 

mortal  combat, — sin  organized  and  marshalled  by 
Satan,  the  Prince  of  the  fallen  angels,  and  redemp- 
tion under  the  command  of  the  Son  of  God.  Can  God 
be  an  indifferent  spectator  of  such  a  conflict  ?  Will 
He  leave  man  to  himself,  when  He  "  so  loved  the 
world  that  He  gave  His  only  begotten  Son  "  ? 

But  this  general  interest  on  the  part  of  God  must 
be  special  also,  and  personal.  Indeed,  it  is  hard  to  con- 
ceive of  a  general  providence  that  is  not  special  and 
personal.  The  insignificant  events  play  a  very  im- 
portant part.  God  often  works  with  minorities.  It 
was  the  floating  seaweed  around  his  vessel  that  en- 
couraged Columbus  to  pursue  his  voyage  after  his 
comrades  had  given  up  all  hope  of  seeing  land  ;  it 
was  a  tear  upon  his  mother's  cheek  that  kept  Wash- 
ington out  of  the  British  navy  and  thus  gave  to  our 
country  a  splendid  patriot ;  it  was  a  father's  solic- 
itude for  his  absent  boys  that  sent  Joseph  out  of 
the  tents  of  Jacob  to  visit  his  brethren,  and  subse- 
quently to  condition  the  history  of  the  world.  The 
accuracy  of  science  is  very  suggestive  of  the  attitude 
of  God.  Science  insists  that  regard  must  be  had  for 
every  grain  of  sand,  for  every  drop  of  water,  for  every 
breath  of  air.  Why  then  should  it  be  thought  a  thing 
incredible  that  God  should  look  upon  man  as  His 
own,  His  creature,  His  child  ?  The  statements  of 
the  Bible  in  this  particular  are  not  unreasonable. 
They  meet  a  response  in  every  penitent,  trustful  soul. 
3 


50  THE  DIVINE  ESTIMA  TE  OF  MAN. 

Prayer  is  encouraged  by  them.  They  rebuke  anxiety. 
Love  is  aroused.  They  stimulate  hope.  God  is  great, 
but  never  too  great  to  be  indifferent  to  us.  He  made 
us  for  Himself.  He  loves  us,  even  in  our  sins.  Around 
us  He  places  the  many  evidences  of  His  bounty. 
"  Like  as  a  father  pitieth  his  children,  so  the  Lord 
pitieth  them  that  fear  Him.  For  He  knoweth  our 
frame ;  He  remembereth  that  we  are  dust."  More 
willing  is  He  to  bestow  the  Holy  Spirit — His  own 
gracious  presence — than  earthly  parents  are  to  give 
good  gifts  unto  their  children.  If  we  neglect  Him, 
H6  is  grieved,  and  He  esteems  our  neglect  as  rob- 
bery ;  if  we  serve  Him,  He  rejoices,  and  He  visits  our 
fidelity  with  the  choicest  recompense.  What,  then, 
shall  we  say  of  our  disregard  of  God,  of  our  prayer- 
less  years,  of  our  ungrateful  conduct?  Can  we  ex- 
cuse them  ?  Has  he  who  lives  without  reference  to 
God,  whose  life  is  a  practical  denial  of  the  existence 
of  God,  any  adequate  apology?  Think  of  his  attitude ! 
He  belongs  to  God.  God  has  a  right  to  demand  obe- 
dience of  him.  Yet  he  thinks  not  of  this  relation, 
and  never  once  looks  up  to  say,  "  My  Father,  I  am 
Thine."  Then  when  profligacy  is  evident,  when  this 
life — God's  life — is  marred  and  defiled  and  brutalized, 
what  a  spectacle  is  presented  !  We  see  the  filthy 
tramp  upon  the  streets,  and  we  wonder  if  he  was 
ever  a  clean,  sweet  babe  ;  and  we  see  the  profligate 
in  his  debauchery,  and  we  wonder  that  God  tolerates 


THE  DIVINE  ESTIMA  TE  OF  MAN  5  T 

his  presence  on  the  earth.  Oh,  the  waste  of  sin ! 
Oh,  the  ingratitude  of  sin  !  Oh,  the  injustice  that 
God  receives  through  sin  !  Let  these  sad  realities 
not  be  named  among  us,  my  friends,  for  God  has 
called  us  unto  holiness.  In  His  presence,  life  dis- 
covers its  true  significance.  "  If  they  obey  Him  and 
serve  Him,  they  shall  spend  their  days  in  prosperity 
and  their  years  in  pleasures."  God  dealeth  with  us  as 
with  sons.  He  desires  our  love.  He  welcomes  our 
fidelity.  "Godliness  is  profitable  unto  all  things, 
having  promise  of  the  life  that  now  is,  and  of  that 
which  is  to  come."  In  this  direction  you  can  not 
mistake.  A  recognition  of  God's  ownership  will  brace 
every  energy  and  guide  every  purpose.  The  finest 
product  of  our  humanity  is  the  spirituality  which  is 
responsive  to  the  direct,  personal  appeal  of  God. 
Enoch  walked  with  God  until  his  refinement  became 
ethereal ;  and  the  sturdy  Elijah  was  borne  by  the 
momentum  of  his  devoted  life  to  the  rapt  vision  and 
the  triumphal  ascent.  Paul  enriched  his  immortal 
nature  with  the  rarest  gems  of  truth,  as  he  submitted 
himself  completely  to  the  evident  control  of  God ; 
and  John  diffused  a  heavenly  radiance  among  the 
churches,  as  he  sat  in  the  evening  twilight  of  the 
first  century,  with  God's  blessing  on  his  holy  life. 
We  can  suggest  nothing  better.  Life  is  precious. 
You  may  despise  it,  but  God  does  not.  Let  us  seek 
to  share  His  estimate  respecting  ourselves,  and  also 
respecting  one  another  and  all  mankind. 


52  THE  DIVINE  ESTIMA TE  OF  MAN. 

2d.  In  His  teaching,  Jesus  exhibits  a  shepherd's 
interest  in  a  wandering  sheep,  and  God's  solicitude 
over  a  lost  sinner.  The  shepherd  is  represented  as 
leaving  the  ninety  and  nine  in  the  wilderness,  in  order 
that  he  may  go  after  the  one  lost  sheep.  The  sheep 
is  in  danger.  It  will  not  do  for  the  shepherd  to  be 
indifferent.  He  must  gird  himself  for  the  toilsome 
search,  and  then  he  must  patiently  endure  the  ex- 
posure and  the  weariness.  Over  the  mountains, 
along  the  banks  of  streams,  through  the  forests,  into 
the  swamps,  his  way  may  lie,  while  every  hour  in- 
creases the  necessity  of  his  finding  the  defenceless 
creature.  For  among  the  animals  which  receive 
man's  care,  none  are  so  dependent  as  sheep.  When 
they  go  astray,  they  wander  aimlessly.  Unable  to 
rest,  dissatisfied  with  the  richest  pasture,  in  their 
loneliness,  they  are  torn  by  briers,  wounded  by  the 
sharp  rocks,  and  frequently  devoured  by  wild  beasts. 
Their  shepherd's  interest  is  their  only  hope.  Because 
he  values  them,  he  does  not  fail  to  seek  for  the  lost. 

What  a  picture  is  this,  my  friends,  of  the  folly  and 
misery  of  sin,  and  the  graciousness  of  God  !  Sin  is 
folly  and  also  misery.  The  sinner  can  give  no  good 
reason  for  departing  from  God,  and  he  finds  that  he 
is  unable  alone  to  make  his  way  back  to  God.  "  In 
the  common  things  of  our  daily  experience,"  remarks 
Archbishop  Trench/  "  a  sheep  which  could  wander 

*  "  Parables,"  p.  304. 


THE  DIVINE  ESTIMA TE  OF  MAN.  53 

away  from,  could  also  wander  back  to,  the  fold.  But 
it  is  not  so  with  the  sheep  of  God's  pasture :  this 
could  lose,  but  it  could  not  find  itself  again  ;  there  is  in 
sin  a  centrifugal  tendency,  and  of  necessity  the  wan- 
derings of  this  sheep  could  only  be  further  and  fur- 
ther away.  Therefore,  if  it  shall  be  found  at  all,  it 
shall  only  be  by  its  shepherd  going  to  seek  it ;  with- 
out this,  being  once  lost,  it  must  be  lost  forever." 
Clearly  did  God  recognize  the  condition  of  a  sinner 
when  He  planned  redemption.  Redemption,  it  should 
be  remembered,  is  God's  thought.  In  this  matter 
God  takes  the  first  step.  The  Gospel  is  not  man 
seeking  God,  but  God  seeking  man.  Other  religions 
begin  with  man's  endeavors  to  find  God,  while  the 
Gospel  alone  announces  the  original  purpose  of  God 
to  save.  This  is  an  interesting  feature,  and  one  that 
is  suggestive  of  divinity.  For  how  else  can  this  re- 
markable fact  be  explained  ?  The  entire  religious 
system  of  the  world  is  reversed  by  the  revelation  of 
the  Bible.  In  direct  antagonism  to  every  known 
form  of  faith,  which  looks  eagerly  upward  from  earth 
to  Heaven,  the  revelation  of  the  Bible  looks  down- 
ward from  Heaven  to  earth.  "  Herein  is  love,  not  that 
we  loved  God,  but  that  He  loved  us,  and  sent  His 
Son  to  be  the  propitiation  for  our  sins." 

But  why  did  God  send  His  Son,  and  what  did  the 
sending  involve  ?  I  reply  that  He  sent  His  Son  be- 
cause God  appreciated  the  inherent  excellence  of  hu- 


54  THE  DIVINE  ESTIMA  TE  OF  MAN 

man  life;  and  the  sending  involved  the  humiliation 
and  suffering  of  Bethlehem  and  Calvary.  For  a  vile 
or  a  worthless  object,  there  would  have  been  no 
such  divine  consideration.  Intelligence  never  ex- 
pends the  choicest  resources  on  a  trivial  or  useless 
mission.  When  a  complete  relief  is  organized,  there 
is  evidence  of  appreciation.  What  then  of  the  divine 
estimate  of  man,  as  it  is  set  forth  in  the  person  and 
work  of  the  Son  of  God  ?  Can  we  fail  to  understand 
it  ?  Is  it  possible  that  we  should  be  indifferent  to 
God's  regard  when  we  visit  the  manger  and  stand  be- 
side the  cross  ?  A  man  may  think  very  little  of  him- 
self and  of  human  nature,  but  in  the  presence  of  this 
holy  Saviour  he  dares  not  utter  his  complaints,  or 
express  his  contemptuous  feelings.  Human  nature 
is  precious  in  the  sight  of  God,  otherwise  the  Eternal 
Son  would  never  have  prepared  Himself  by  the  In- 
carnation, to  accomplish  our  redemption. 

This  preparation  brought  Him  from  His  throne  of 
universal  dominion  to  the  low  estate  of  infancy.  "  He 
took  upon  Him  the  form  of  a  servant."  The  feeble- 
ness and  dependence  of  a  little  child  were  His ;  and 
as  He  grew  in  wisdom  and  stature,  and  in  favor  with 
God  and  man,  He  was  always  subjected  to  the  limi- 
tations of  the  flesh.  "  He  made  Himself  of  no  repu- 
tation." His  accepted  position  was  one  of  decent 
poverty.  He  was  not  a  beggar;  and  yet  He  had  not 
where  to  lay  His  head.    But  His  position  did  not  dis- 


THE  DIVINE  ESTIMATE  OF  MAN.  55 

turb  Him.  The  most  exalted  position  of  earthly 
grandeur  would  have  been  nothing  to  Him,  whose 
proper  empire  is  the  vast  universe.  He  was  with  the 
poor,  because  most  men  are  poor,  and  because  spirit- 
ual influences  usually  reach  the  rich  from  the  poor. 
The  poor  of  this  world  have  their  riches  in  faith.  He 
wished  to  reach  man  as  man,  and  not  man  in  the 
purple,  or  man  with  the  sword.  As  He  went  from 
place  to  place  the  magnetism  of  sympathy  drew 
around  Him  publicans  and  harlots,  the  forlorn  and 
the  neglected,  the  outcasts  and  the  degraded.  It  was 
openly  said  in  contempt :  "  This  man  receiveth  sin- 
ners, and  eateth  with  them."  He  had  the  divine  fac- 
ulty of  looking  into  the  depths  of  the  human  heart. 
•Hypocrisy  turned  from  Him  with  downcast  counte- 
nance, while  penitence  approached  with  hope  and 
courage.  From  His  lips  came  the  command,  which 
His  disciples  obey  when  they  undertake  to  preach 
the  Gospel  to  every  creature.  He  abolished  racial 
distinctions  in  the  higher  unity  which  love  enjoins. 
The  freeman  and  the  slave  were  alike  to  Him,  in- 
asmuch as  He  cared  principally  for  the  manhood 
of  each. 

Then  as  His  teaching  became  prophetic  of  His 
death,  He  entered  speedily  into  the  shadow  of  the 
cross.  There  the  gloom  increased  until  the  noonday 
midnight  of  Calvary  was  reached,  and  His  expiring 
groans  were  heard.     For  the  sake  of  lost  man,  in  or- 


56  THE  DIVINE  ESTIMATE  OF  MAN. 

der  that  He  might  secure  his  redemption,  our  blessed 
Saviour  met  death  and  yielded  to  its  power.  It  was 
necessary  that  the  penalty  of  sin  should  be  borne. 
To  bear  it  himself  the  sinner  must  suffer  death.  If 
another  may  bear  it  for  him,  he  may  be  pardoned  and 
saved.  In  His  own  body  on  the  tree,  Jesus  Christ 
bore  our  sins.  Love  prompted  His  sacrifice.  His 
regard  for  man  made  Him  willing  to  give  Himself  a 
ransom.  Thus  He  expressed  the  divine  estimate  of 
sin,  and  at  the  same  time  the  divine  estimate  of  our 
humanity;  for  a  sacrifice  of  priceless  value  would 
only  have  been  made  on  behalf  of  very  precious  lives. 
From  this  consciousness  we  may  take  unspeakable 
comfort.  The  cross  is  the  measure  of  the  world. 
When  we  weary,  as  we  sometimes  do,  of  the  strife 
and  the  confusion,  of  the  bitterness  and  the  jealousy, 
of  the  shame  and  the  loathsomeness  of  human  nature, 
we  do  well  to  contemplate  the  cross.  The  Son  of 
God  knew  all  this,  and  yet  He  gave  Himself ;  He  ap- 
preciated the  evil,  and  yet  He  placed  Himself  in  the 
midst  of  it.  Let  us  be  patient.  The  water-lily  raises 
its  pure  white  petals  above  the  slimy  waters  of  the 
muddy  pond.  A  saint  is  a  redeemed  sinner,  nothing 
else.  From  the  defilement  of  earth  the  population 
of  heaven  is  constantly  recruited.  When  the  Son  of 
God  gives  Himself  to  redeem  a  man,  let  us  not  think 
that  man  to  be  beneath  our  notice,  or  unworthy  of 
our  Christian  sympathy ! 


THE  DI  VINE  ES  TIM  A  TE  OF  MAN.  5  7 

3d.  Jesus  emphasizes  the  tenderness  of  God's  love 
for  a  man,  when  He  describes  the  conduct  of  a  shep- 
herd who  has  found  a  sheep.  We  lose  much,  if  our 
eyes  fail  to  rest  upon  the  words,  "When  he  hath 
found  it,  he  layeth  it  on  his  shoulders,  rejoicing." 
There  are  no  reproaches,  no  punishments,  no  attempts 
to  drag  the  wandering  sheep  back  to  the  fold.  The 
search  has  been  successful.  The  silly,  miserable  crea- 
ture has  ceased  running,  and  has  waited  for  the  shep- 
herd to  approach.  Now  at  last  he  is  near.  With  a 
gentle,  soothing  voice  he  calls  the  sheep  by  name ; 
and  most  lovingly  he  extends  his  strong  hands  to 
disengage  it  from  the  thorns.  Gently  he  takes  it  in 
his  arms,  and  knowing  well  that  it  is  very  tired,  he 
carries  it  on  his  shoulders.  Oh,  the  wonders  of  re- 
deeming love!  Oh,  the  sweetness  of  the  Holy  Spir- 
it's influence !  Have  you  ever  known  it  ?  Have 
you  ever  struggled  with  sin,  or  suffered  yourself  to 
be  led  away  by  sin,  until  you  were  almost  in  despair? 
Then  have  you  heard  the  Saviour's  invitation,  "  Come 
and  I  will  give  you  rest "  ?  Have  you  wondered  if 
you  could  be  accepted,  just  as  you  are?  Have  you 
supposed  that  you  must  make  yourself  better  before 
God  would  receive  you  ?  Have  you  feared  the  re- 
proaches and  chidings  which  you  knew  that  you  de- 
served ?  Then  in  looking  up  penitently  have  you 
ever  experienced  the  peace  of  God  which  passeth  all 
understanding?     Have  you  carried  in  your  heart  a 


58  THE  DIVINE  ESTIMA  TE  OF  MAN. 

calm,  restful  satisfaction,  which  has  surprised  you  ? 
Oh,  friend,  it  has  been  the  grace  of  God,  whose  ten- 
der regard  you  have  thus  enjoyed.  His  ways  are  not 
our  ways.  So  rash  are  we,  so  unforgiving,  so  cruel, 
so  vindictive,  that  we  can  hardly  believe  in  the  reality 
of  His  grace.  Yet  the  Bible,  you  know,  tells  us  about 
the  everlasting  arms  and  about  the  shadow  of  the 
wings.  We  may  think  now  and  here  on  this  pleasant 
spring  morning  that  such  things  are  not  for  us,  that 
they  are  too  sentimental.  But  let  me  remind  you 
that  the  spring  mornings  do  not  last  all  the  year. 
We  shall  become  conscious  of  our  need  of  God.  The 
future  will  have  its  imperative  demands.  Will  it  not 
be  a  comfort  then  to  know  that  God,  by  the  activity 
of  the  Holy  Spirit,  will  be  to  us  just  what  a  shep- 
herd is  to  a  sheep,  when  "  he  layeth  it  on  his  shoul- 
ders, rejoicing  "  ?  Poor,  weary  soul,  there  is  no  more 
opportunity  for  wandering !  Weak  and  exhausted, 
there  is  nothing  left  but  to  rest,  just  as  God  has 
asked  us  to,  on  His  holy  promises,  without  anxiety, 
without  fear,  without  any  endeavor  after  an  expe- 
rience, without  much  thought,  indeed  ! 

"  Sweet  in  the  confidence  of  faith 
To  trust  His  firm  decrees  ; 
Sweet  to  lie  passive  in  His  hands, 
And  know  no  will  but  His." 

4th.  The  joy  and  glory  of  man's  recovery  by  God 
appear  in  what  Jesus  says  of  the  unity  of  the  flock 


THE  DIVINE  ESTIMATE  OF  MAN.  59 

and  the  safety  of  the  many  folds.  We  must  thank 
the  revisers  of  the  New  Testament  for  correcting  one 
reading  at  least,  which  has  apparently  sanctioned  the 
grave  mistakes  of  Christendom.  They  have  made 
public  the  proper  translation  of  the  words  concerning 
the  many  folds  and  the  one  flock.  "  And  other  sheep 
I  have  which  are  not  of  this  fold :  them  also  I  must 
bring,  and  they  shall  hear  my  voice ;  and  they  shall 
become  one  flock,  one  shepherd."  Unity  with  di- 
versity ;  one  spirit  and  many  forms,  or  expressions. 
Oh !  that  Christendom  might  learn  this  essential  les- 
son of  catholicity,  and  that  we  might  cease  to  hear 
about  the  one,  the  only  fold 7  There  is  a  tradi- 
tion among  the  Germans,  which  Uhland,  their  lyric 
poet,  has  embalmed  in  verse,  to  preserve  the  con- 
ception of  a  lost  church.  Somewhere  in  the  depths 
of  the  forest  there  is  a  church,  the  way  to  which 
has  been  lost.  The  traveller,  even  in  the  night, 
often  hears  the  sweet  sounds  of  its  chimes,  and  he 
says,  "  There  are  the  winds,  playing  upon  the  bells  of 
the  lost  church."  Occasionally  a  favored  mortal  has 
found  his  way  to  its  shrine,  and  has  there  witnessed 
the  simplicity  of  a  pure  worship  and  the  fellowship 
of  a  holy  love.  But  no  one  has  ever  been  able  to  re- 
trace such  steps,  and  to  lead  others  to  that  sacred 
place.  Multitudes  sigh  over  and  after  the  lost  church, 
and  the  restoration  of  the  time  when,  as  Ambrose 
finely   says:    "The   cross   stood   like  the  mast  of  a 


60  THE  DIVINE  ESTIMA  TE  OF  MAN. 

ship,  to  which  men  might  cling  in  the  wreck  of  the 
world." 

"  In  human  speech  I  could  not  tell 
All  that  I  saw  in  that  blest  shrine. 
The  chastened  twilight  suited  well 

With  sculptured  forms  of  maids  divine, 
The  martyred  saints  of  God,  and  soon 
There  shone  a  flush  of  glowing  light 
That  brought  a  fresher  life,  like  noon, 
And  brighter  worlds  appeared  to  sight." 

Do  we  not  discover  a  very  high  appreciation  of  the 
possibilities  of  a  redeemed  humanity,  when  we  listen 
to  our  Saviour's  intercessory  prayer  ?  That  prayer  is 
a  prophecy.  When  He,  the  divine  Lord,  prayed  for 
His  disciples  that  "  they  all  may  be  one,  as  Thou, 
Father,  art  in  me,  and  I  in  Thee,  that  they  also  may 
be  one  in  us,"  He  understood  Himself.  He  was  asking 
for  a  consummation  which  grace  is  able  to  realize.  We 
may  be  one.  Love  may  unite  us.  Swords  may  be 
beaten  into  ploughshares  and  spears  into  pruning- 
hooks.  Humanity,  through  redemption,  is  capable 
of  this  heavenly  fellowship.  It  is  to  be  known.  The 
earth  is  to  acknowledge  it.  The  angels  are  to  rejoice 
over  it.  The  Saviour  is  to  see  of  the  travail  of  His 
soul  and  to  be  satisfied.  Not  the  unity  of  compul- 
sion, not  the  unity  of  death,  but  the  strong,  enduring, 
intelligent,  cordial  unity  of  love.  "And  this  com- 
mandment have  we  from  Him,  that  he  who  loveth 
God  love  his  brother  also." 


THE  DIVINE  ESTIMATE  OF  MAN.  6 1 

Meanwhile,  and  in  preparation  for  that  delightful 
consummation,  He  leadeth  me  beside  the  still  waters, 
and  He  maketh  me  to  lie  down  in  green  pastures. 
His  grace,  and  that  alone,  quickens  my  spirituality 
to  such  a  degree  that  the  lofty  themes  of  inspiration 
are  my  delight,  that  communion  with  God  is  possible, 
that  holiness  becomes  a  clear  and  definite  ambition. 
Facing  now  toward  God,  with  sin  forgiven,  with  the 
spirit  renewed  and  in  part  sanctified,  with  every  right 
impulse  to  direct  and  stimulate,  with  endless  ages  as 
the  vista  of  the  Christian  life,  what  must  be  before  us, 
of  what  are  we  capable,  unto  what  shall  we  attain? 
In  glowing  terms,  a  gifted  writer*  of  our  day  and 
land  has  recorded  his  convictions  and  hopes  in  a  pas- 
sage of  rare  beauty :  "  It  seems  to  me  to  glorify  life, 
it  seems  to  me  to  banish  the  shadow  of  gloom  from 
death,  to  feel  that  that  majestic  figure — of  Brother, 
Teacher,  Friend,  Redeemer — which  towers  supremely 
over  the  centuries,  which  made  the  earth  sublime  by 
its  advent,  which  seemed  in  ascending  to  unite  it  to 
the  heavens,  has  equal  place  in  worlds  to  come !  that 
we  may  trust  His  imperative  word ;  that  we  may 
serve  His  kingly  cause ;  that  we  may  see  the  illu- 
mined universe  for  us  as  for  Him  a  house  of  Victory 
and  Peace  !  that  we  may  stand,  bye  and  bye,  with 
Him  amid  the  light  as  yet  unreached,  and  say,  each 


*  Storrs,  "  Divine  Origin  of  Christianity,"  p.  357. 


62  THE  DIVINE  ESTIMATE  OF  MAN. 

one :  '  I  believed  in  Thy  religion  ;  I  saw  its  triumphs 
in  the  earth  ;  I  felt  its  power  in  my  heart ;  I  rose  to 
God  in  love  upon  it ;  I  foreknew  by  it,  what  I  now 
find,  Eternal  Life.'  " 

Oh !  brethren,  when  I  think  of  these  possibilities, 
when  I  realize  somewhat  the  surpassing  opportunities 
of  grace,  when  I  know  that  you  and  I  and  all  men  are 
called  of  God  to  accept  this  splendid  inheritance,  I 
wonder  at  my  dulness,  my  apathy,  my  disregard  of 
others  and  their  welfare,  and  I  long  to  give  myself  and 
them  entirely  to  God,  that  we  may  respond  to  the  so- 
licitations of  His  love.  Not  to  humiliate  us:  No!  but 
to  honor  us;  not  to  abase  us:  No!  but  to  glorify  us; 
not  to  strip  us  to  our  shame :  No !  but  to  crown  us 
with  immortal  beauty.  This  is  God's  purpose.  He 
knows  that  we  can  respond.  He  is  not  addressing 
the  rocks,  nor  the  cedars,  nor  the  pines,  nor  the  king 
of  beasts,  nor  the  gentle  lambs ;  but  He  is  speaking  to 
men,  whom  He  has  created  in  His  own  image  and 
after  His  own  likeness,  and  whom  He  has  redeemed 
with  the  precious  blood  of  the  beloved  Son  ;  to  men, 
whom  He  is  prepared  to  rescue,  and  then  to  welcome 
to  an  experience  of  perfect  joy.  Alas,  alas,  that  men 
reject  God's  mercy,  and  seek  the  way  of  death,  when 
life,  eternal  life,  is  open  to  them!  Let  it  not  be  so 
with  us.  But  cheerfully  recognizing  this  divine  esti- 
mate of  man,  let  us  aim  to  secure  "  the  stature  of  the 
fulness  of  Christ." 


IV. 
THE   MORAL    ENDS  OF   BUSINESS. 

"  Seest  thou  a  man  diligent  t7i  his  business  ?  he 
shall  stand  before  kings  ;  he  shall  not  stand 
before  mean  men." — Prov.  xxii.  29. 

The  Proverb  addresses  every  one  who  is  engaged 
in  business.  Business  is  employment.  The  employ- 
ment may  be  more  or  less  important  without  passing 
beyond  the  reach  of  the  Proverb.  Anything  that  de- 
mands attention  comes  within  the  scope  of  Solomon's 
maxim.  He  has  coined  the  experience  of  a  careful 
observer.  Life  in  Jerusalem  has  exhibited  the  many 
occupations  which  engage  the  residents  of  a  city  ;  and 
the  adjacent  country  has  presented  every  variety  of 
rural  interest.  The  successes  and  failures  of  mer- 
chants and  statesmen,  of  farmers  and  shepherds,  of 
mechanics  and  soldiers,  have  announced  themselves 
to  him.  His  estimate  has  a  broad  application.  As  a 
king,  he  has  frequently  commended  the  diligence 
which  has  elevated  a  subject  to  a  position  of  promi- 
nence and  influence. 

The  thought  of  Solomon,  however,  does  not  turn 
principally  to  the  material  ends  of  business.    Business 

(63) 


64  THE  MORAL  ENDS  OF  BUSINESS. 

has  reference  to  such  ends ;  and  with  many  persons, 
those  are  the  only  ends  of  business.  Business,  as  they 
regard  it,  is  for  the  sake  of  money.  When  money  is 
realized,  business  prosperity  is  evident ;  and  when 
money  is  not  realized,  business  is  a  disappointment. 
But  it  should  be  remembered  that  a  large  share  of  the 
business  of  life  can  have  nothing  whatever  to  do 
with  money.  There  are  countless  services  which  are 
performed  without  any  idea  of  money.  Duty  or 
love  must  explain  them.  Yet  they  are  business,  and 
business  of  a  most  exalted  character.  With  these 
services  the  sagacious  king  is  well  acquainted.  He 
knows  that  they  possess  a  moral  value,  and  that  dili- 
gence in  them  leaves  a  permanent  impression.  It  is 
to  this  impression,  as  it  shapes  and  adorns  the  soul, 
that  he  directs  his  Proverb.  The  "  man  diligent  in 
his  business  "  secures  his  manhood.  His  employment 
becomes  his  discipline.  Out  from  his  business  he 
brings  a  generous  spirituality.  He  is  unlike  the  fool 
of  the  New  Testament  Parable,  whose  entire  wealth 
was  stored  in  barns  and  granaries,  because  he  resem- 
bles Simon  Peter,  who  could  say  to  the  cripple  at  the 
gate  of  the  Temple :  "  Silver  and  gold  have  I  none ; 
but  such  as  I  have,  give  I  thee,"  or  Paul  the  Apostle, 
who  could  write,  "  As  having  nothing,  and  yet  pos- 
sessing all  things."  He  is  "  rich  toward  God,"  even  if 
he  must  be  counted  among  the  "poor  of  this  world." 
The  moral  ends  of  business  are  the  returns,  which  no 


THE  MORAL  ENDS  OF  BUSINESS.  65 

bankruptcy  can  threaten,  no  thief  can  steal,  no  fire 
can  destroy.  They  are  safe.  As  solid  bullion,  they 
are  transported  to  the  New  Jerusalem,  where  they 
will  enhance  the  joys  of  eternal  life.  In  the  presence 
of  the  King  of  kings,  the  diligent  man  may  hope  to 
stand,  as  the  greeting  is  heard  :  "  Well  done,  thou 
good  and  faithful  servant,  thou  hast  been  faithful 
over  a  few  things,  I  will  make  thee  ruler  over  many 
things." 

We  should  have  no  difficulty,  my  friends,  in  rising 
to  the  grand  estimate  of  the  Hebrew  king.  We  are 
engaged  in  business.  With  many  different  employments 
our  time  is  filled.  There  must  be  an  end  or  purpose 
which  holds  us.  We  should  not  engage  in  business 
simply  for  the  sake  of  engaging  in  business.  Business 
is  a  means  to  an  end,  rather  than  an  end.  What 
then  is  its  end  ?  Is  it  material  or  moral  ?  Are  we 
absorbed  in  pursuits  whose  returns  can  all  be  ex- 
hibited on  a  balance-sheet,  or  have  we  learned  to 
prize  the  returns  which  are  moral?  I  fear  that  to 
some  of  us  the  suggestion  may  seem  novel,  if  not  ab- 
surd, that  the  moral  ends  of  business  are  of  principal 
importance.  The  suggestion  crosses  the  lines  of  our 
familiar  thoughts.  '  We  are  not  accustomed  to  it. 
Yet  after  all,  is  it  not  a  wise  and  true  suggestion  ? 
Has  not  God  given  us  the  business  of  life  in  order 
that  we  may  secure  therefrom  a  training  which  will 
develop  holy  characters  ?    If  this  is  His  design,  should 


66  THE  MORAL  ENDS  OF  BUSINESS. 

we  not  undertake  our  business  in  obedience  to  the 
command  :  "  Whatsoever  thy  hand  findeth  to  do,  do 
it  with  thy  might  "  ?  For  "  a  man  diligent  in  his  busi- 
ness "  should  become  possessed  of  a  large  amount  of 
spiritual  wealth. 

As  we  consider  this  very  practical  subject,  we 
should  remember  that,  1st,  A  diligent  man  is  per- 
mitted to  believe  that  an  honorable  business  is  a  divine 
calling.  We  have  adopted  an  unfortunate  usage 
which  leads  us  to  designate  one  particular  business, 
that  of  the  minister  of  religion,  as  a  sacred  profession 
or  calling.  This  usage  is  certainly  good,  if  it  does 
not  lead  to  a  discrimination  against  other  employ- 
ments. But  that  is  just  what  it  does,  and  conse- 
quently it  is  evil.  There  are  hundreds  of  worthy 
men  and  women  who  are  pursuing  the  quiet  life  of 
the  farm,  the  shop,  the  counting-room,  or  the  house- 
hold without  any  conception  that  theirs  is  a  divine 
calling.  They  believe  that  the  minister  of  religion 
has  been  called  to  a  sacred  work,  but  they  can  not  dis- 
cover the  sacredness  of  their  work.  Yet  their  work 
is  sacred,  and  their  calling  is  a  divine  calling,  just  as 
truly  as  his  is.  Many  pages  of  the  world's  history 
must  be  turned  before  the  special  institution  of  an 
order  of  religious  teachers  is  met.  When  God 
created  man,  however,  He  placed  him  in  the  Garden 
of  Eden  to  dress  it  and  to  keep  it,  and  thus  He  called 
him  to  be  a  farmer ;  and  when  He  ordained  that  fee* 


THE  MORAL  ENDS  OF  BUSINESS.  67 

ble  infancy  should  make  an  appeal  to  parental 
strength  and  love,  He  sanctified  the  duties  of  the 
household ;  when  He  chose  out  of  all  the  numerous 
inhabitants  of  the  earth  the  father  of  the  faithful,  He 
sent  him  from  Ur  of  the  Chaldees  upon  journeys 
which  compelled  him  to  traffic  with  the  Egyptians 
and  Canaanites,  and  thus  Abraham  became  a  mer- 
chant; and  when  He  gave  His  Son  to  the  humble 
life  of  Nazareth,  Jesus  became  for  many  years  the 
village  carpenter.  Perhaps  we  may  have  overlooked 
the  significance  of  the  divine  appointments.  Busi- 
ness is  God's  ordination.  The  apostles  of  the  early 
church  were  men  of  business.  Paul  did  not  hesitate 
to  hold  up  his  callous  hands  before  the  elders  of 
Ephesus,  and  to  remind  them  that  "  these  hands  have 
ministered  unto  my  necessities  and  to  them  that  were 
with  me."  He  it  was  who  sent  to  Corinth  the  sharp 
command :  "  Let  every  man  abide  in  the  same  calling 
wherein  he  was  called."  The  converted  slaves  were 
restless.  They  imagined  that  new  opportunities  of 
usefulness  would  be  found  in  new  spheres  of  work. 
Paul  checked  them,  and  urged  diligence  in  the  par- 
ticular calling  which  was  then  theirs.  Thus  it  came 
to  pass  that  the  diligence  of  Christian  slaves  com- 
mended the  Gospel  to  heathen  masters,  until  the 
splendid  palaces  of  the  Roman  Empire  became  the 
homes  of  our  Lord's  disciples. 

It  is  not  by  accident  that  "  man  goeth  forth  unto 


68  THE  MORAL  ENDS  OF  BUSINESS. 

his  work,  and  to  his  labor,  until  the  evening."  "Very 
plainly,"  remarks  an  English  writer,'*  "  God  has  put 
us  into  such  a  universe  that  He  only  can  shape  us 
by — destiny  only  spins  its  purpose  out  of  us  by — ■ 
work.  Perhaps  we  should  translate  the  word  in  wider 
or  narrower  senses ;  indeed,  all  that  reduces  us  to  ex- 
perience, all  that  stirs  within  us  the  sense  of  knowl- 
edge, partakes  of  the  nature  of  work.  Every  toil  may 
be  the  platform  for  a  higher  toil ;  and  all  toils  point 
to  the  consummation  and  perfection  of  the  worker, 
the  invisible,  but  living,  personal  soul."  We  should 
not,  therefore,  fret  and  worry  because  we  are  in  a 
humble  place.  God  has  appointed  the  place,  in  which 
He  looks  for  our  diligence. 

"  God  doth  not  need 
Either  man's  work  or  his  own  gifts ;  who  best 
Bear  His  mild  yoke,  they  serve  Him  best ;  His  state 
Is  kingly  ;  thousands  at  His  bidding  speed, 
And  post  o'er  land  and  ocean  without  rest ; 
They  also  serve  who  only  stand,  and  wait." 

Who  does  not  need  the  bracing  influence  of  this 
conviction  ?  The  minister  of  religion  feels  it  in  his 
business,  and  so  should  every  one  of  us.  The  business 
of  life  is  a  divine  calling.  God  recognizes  it.  By  His 
providence  He  leads  the  individual  into  it.  There 
He  expects  that  there  will  be  a  recognition  of  the 
moral  ends,  which  are  ready  to  exert  a  controlling  in- 


*  Paxton  Hood,  "  Dark  Sayings  on  a  Harp,"  p.  72. 


THE  MORAL  ENDS  OF  BUSINESS.  69 

fluence.  Thus  endeavor  secures  point  and  definite- 
ness,  and  activity  finds  guidance  and  comfort,  and 
aspiration  looks  up  to  God  with  cheerful  hope.  The 
estimate  of  life  is  completely  altered.  We  hush  our 
complaints.  We  gird  our  energies.  We  determine 
to  do  our  best  at  all  times,  because  we  are  laborers 
together  with  God.  "  Not  with  eye-service,  as  men- 
pleasers,  but  as  the  servants  of  Christ,  doing  the  will 
of  God  from  the  heart.  With  good  will  doing  service 
as  to  the  Lord  and  not  to  men.  Knowing  that  what- 
soever good  thing  any  man  doeth,  the  same  shall  he 
receive  of  the  Lord,  whether  he  be  bond  or  free." 

2d.  "  A  man  diligent  in  his  business"  is  in  a  posi- 
tion to  appreciate  the  traits  of  character  which  God 
approves.  This  appreciation  will  come  to  him  as  he 
observes  his  own  life  and  the  lives  of  others.  The 
contact  of  life  with  life  in  business ;  the  demands 
which  are  made  upon  the  moral  qualities  of  the  soul ; 
the  approvals  and  the  condemnations  which  are  evi- 
dent— these  are  all  instructive.  The  proper  study  of 
man  is  man ;  and  man  can  be  studied  most  critically 
when  he  is  in  the  activity  of  business.  Then  he  dis- 
covers himself,  and  by  a  prolonged  course  of  life  he 
manifests  the  characteristics  which  God  commends  or 
rebukes.  These  characteristics  appear  now  in  the 
concrete  rather  than  in  the  abstract,  as  illustrations 
rather  than  as  statements.  The  abstract  truths,  the 
plain  statements  are  to  be  found  in  the  Word  of  God, 


7o 


THE  MORAL  ENDS  OF  BUSINESS. 


while  their  correspondences,  the  examples,  are  pres- 
ent in  the  life  of  business.  Gradually  the  diligent 
man  becomes  possessed  of  the  conviction  that  God  is 
right  in  announcing  the  traits  of  character  which  He 
has  presented  for  our  acceptance.  The  lessons  of 
business  are  confirmatory  of  the  divine  counsels  and 
commands. 

There  is  a  very  plain  statement  in  the  Bible  of  the 
power  of  love.  In  his  masterly  discussion  of  the 
principles  of  government,  the  Apostle  reaches  the 
conclusion  that  "  love  is  the  fulfilling  of  the  law." 
He  makes  bold  to  say  this  when  Nero  is  Emperor  and 
his  deputies  are  governors.  He  proposes  to  antago- 
nize their  wickedness  with  the  power  of  love.  They 
have  all  the  machinery  of  government  under  their 
control.  They  are  in  command  of  a  magnificent 
army.  They  worship,  if  such  men  can  be  said  to 
worship,  power.  Yet  Paul  is  prepared  to  meet  them 
with  love.  He  is  ready  to  match  love  against  power. 
Is  he  wise  ?  Has  he  been  carried  away  by  his  enthu- 
siasm ?  The  diligent  man  can  answer.  His  experi- 
ence has  acquainted  him  with  the  influential  elements 
of  character.  He  has  learned  to  give  an  appropriate 
estimate  to  the  man  who  threatens  and  storms  and 
blasphemes,  as  well  as  to  the  man  who  considers  right 
and  justice,  and  who  seeks  the  welfare  of  his  fellow- 
men.  He  knows  that  the  thunder  makes  the  noise, 
while  the  lightning  hurls  the  shaft.     He  has  not  for- 


THE  MORAL  ENDS  OF  BUSINESS.  yi 

gotten  John  the  Baptist  and  Herod,  nor  our  Lord 
and  Pilate.  Love  has  opened  to  his  scrutiny  in  order 
that  he  may  become  acquainted  with  its  precious 
contents.  These  contents  include  every  moral  duty. 
All  personal,  social,  and  religious  interests  are  here. 
For  surely  that  is  a  comprehensive  statement  which 
says  that  "  Thou  shalt  love  the  Lord  thy  God  with 
all  thy  heart,  and  with  all  thy  soul,  and  with  all  thy 
mind,"  and  "  Thou  shalt  love  thy  neighbor  as  thyself." 
Selfishness  ultimately  digs  its  own  grave.  Duplicity 
ultimately  smites  the  deceitful  man  with  the  recoil  of 
the  boomerang.  Adoni-bezek  was  taught  by  his  con- 
tact with  business  that  retribution  is  the  shadow  of 
cruelty  ;  while  Mephibosheth  was  protected  by  David 
because  he  was  Jonathan's  son.  Without  love  there 
can  be  no  desirable  progress,  no  uplifting  of  the  weak, 
no  defence  of  the  poor,  no  consideration  of  age  or 
sex.  Where  might  makes  right,  there  barbarism 
hovers  about  the  door.  The  kingdom  of  Dahomey 
has  long  enjoyed  the  unenviable  notoriety  of  being 
destitute  of  love  ;  and  in  that  kingdom  property  and 
life  are  both  at  the  mercy  of  a  despotic  tyrant.  Love 
would  rebuke  his  despotism,  would  arrest  his  bloody 
hand,  would  give  him  a  new  heart,  would  transform 
his  kingdom.  Love  is  wisdom  as  well  as  mercy ; 
love  is  strength  as  well  as  grace  ;  love  is  duty  and 
also  privilege.  "  We  then  that  are  strong  ought  to 
bear  the  infirmities  of  the  weak,  and  not  to  please  our- 


72 


THE  MORAL  ENDS  OF  BUSINESS. 


selves.  Let  every  one  of  us  please  his  neighbor  for 
his  good  to  edification."  "  What  do  you  think  fools 
were  made  for?"  Ruskin  once  asked.  Then  without 
waiting  for  an  answer,  he  said :  "  They  were  made 
that  wise  people  may  take  care  of  them.  That  is  the 
true  and  plain  fact  concerning  the  relations  of  every 
strong  and  wise  man  to  the  world  about  him.  He 
has  his  strength  given  to  him,  not  that  he  may  crush  the 
weak,  but  that  he  may  support  and  guide  them.  In 
his  own  household  he  is  to  be  the  guide  and  the  sup- 
port of  his  children  ;  out  of  his  household,  he  is  still 
to  be  the  father,  that  is,  the  guide  and  support  of  the 
weak  and  the  poor ;  not  merely  of  the  meritoriously 
weak  and  of  the  innocently  poor,  but  of  the  guiltily 
and  punishably  poor ;  of  the  men  who  ought  to  have 
known  better,  of  the  poor  who  ought  to  be  ashamed 
of  themselves."  There  were  certain  well-dressed  and 
comfortably  circumstanced  Jews  who  looked  into  the 
face  of  the  half-crazed  Judas  as  he  threw  the  price  of 
his  iniquity  upon  the  pavement  at  their  feet,  saying, 
with  a  sneer,  "  What  is  that  to  us  ?  See  thou  to 
that " :  and  then  there  was  a  converted  Pharisee 
who  wrote  in  the  catholic  spirit  of  our  Lord  Jesus 
Christ :  "  As  we  have  therefore  opportunity  let  us  do 
good  unto  all  men  ";  there  was  the  cultured  Gallio, 
who  dismissed  the  appeal  of  justice  because  he  did 
not  care  to  trouble  himself  with  vexatious  questions  : 
and  then  there  was  an  apostle  who  wrote  that  "  pure  re« 


THE  MORAL  ENDS  OF  BUSINESS.  73 

ligion  and  undefiled  before  God  and  the  Father  is  this, 
to  visit  the  fatherless  and  widows  in  their  afflictions, 
and  to  keep  himself  unspotted  from  the  world."  The 
law  of  love  is  the  law  of  considerateness,  the  law  of 
political  economy,  the  law  of  prudence,  the  law  of 
common  sense. 

We  may  reverse  the  picture,  and  thus  discover 
renewed  evidence  of  the  moral  value  of  business.  It 
is  not  difficult  to  imagine  a  household,  a  community, 
a  State,  in  which  the  traits  of  character  which  God 
approves  are  all  disregarded  :  we  can  readily  believe 
that  some  men  look  at  trade  as  the  business  of  cun- 
ning and  greed  rather  than  of  honesty  and  liberality ; 
we  can  recognize  the  temporary  success  which  waits 
upon  the  most  corrupt  endeavors.  These  are  the 
dazzling  pictures  of  worldly  life,  whose  high  colors 
attract  undue  attention.  The  Psalmist  met  them  in 
his  day,  and  he  was  perplexed  as  he  undertook  to 
explain  them  until  he  went  into  the  sanctuary  of 
God ;  then  understood  he  their  end.  We  are  often 
saddened  by  the  prosperity  of  the  wicked.  It  tries  a 
good  man's  faith  to  see  that  wealth  pours  into  the 
coffers  of  one  who  is  violating  every  law  of  God, 
while  his  own  arduous  labors  barely  yield  him  his 
daily  bread.  Yet  the  good  man  after  all  is  not  un- 
blessed. The  moral  ends  of  business  are  his.  But 
for  fidelity  and  industry  like  his,  society  would  dis- 
integrate and  trade  would  be  an  impossibility.  For 
4 


74  THE  MORAL  ENDS  OF  BUSINESS. 

how  can  society  maintain  its  order  if  every  man's 
hand  is  against  his  brother,  and  how  can  trade  flour- 
ish if  there  is  no  confidence  in  character?  Men  of 
the  world  have  their  portion  in  this  life — a  fair  por- 
tion, an  attractive  portion — and  yet  their  portion 
leaves  them  destitute  at  last,  when  they  enter  upon 
the  life  whose  years  are  endless.  "  Be  not  deceived  ; 
God  is  not  mocked ;  for  whatsoever  a  man  soweth, 
that  shall  he  also  reap." 

With  that  memorable  word  of  the  Lord,  through 
Micah,  upon  our  lips,  "  to  do  justly,  and  to  love 
mercy,  and  to  walk  humbly  with  thy  God,"  we 
might  safely  address  our  fellow-men  in  every  depart- 
ment of  business.  The  universal  response  would  be 
a  commendation  of  the  inspired  statement.  Be  just, 
be  merciful,  and  be  humble  before  God.  What  more 
can  be  desired  ?  Do  not  those  traits  of  character 
promise  the  most  complete  prosperity  ?  Justice  be- 
fore mercy,  and  yet  justice  tempered  by  mercy ;  per- 
fect integrity  in  speech  and  conduct,  and  an  integrity 
which  is  thoughtful  and  compassionate.  Justice  and 
mercy  exercised  always  with  respect  for  the  perfect 
attributes  of  the  infinite  God.  An  absence  of  pride. 
The  contrition  which  God  loves.  Suffer  those  traits 
to  become  prevalent,  and  what  may  you  not  expect  ? 
What  household  life  will  then  be  known !  What  a 
pure  Christian  socialism  will  be  witnessed  !  What  a 
splendid  conception  of  the  possibilities  of  trade  will 


THE  MORAL  ENDS  OF  BUSINESS.  75 

obtain  among  men !  For  these  are  the  traits  of  char- 
acter which  can  meet  the  earnest,  anxious  appeal  of 
the  world's  restlessness,  and  which  can  establish  the 
world's  business  upon  the  solid  foundations  of  truth, 
equity,  and  love. 

3d.  A  diligent  man  may  find  that  the  opportu- 
nities of  business  are  favorable  to  the  development 
of  the  Christian  virtues  and  graces.  One  of  Krum- 
macher's  Parables  describes  a  visit  of  a  Cherub,  after 
Adam  had  tilled  the  ground  and  made  himself  a 
garden  full  of  plants  and  trees.  The  Cherub  came 
without  his  flaming  sword,  and  his  countenance  was 
benignant  and  kind.  "  Behold,"  he  said,  "  no  more 
do  fruits  grow  of  themselves  for  you ;  you  must  labor 
to  eat  bread  in  the  sweat  of  your  brow.  But  after 
the  labor,  you  rejoice  in  the  fruit  acquired  by  your 
toil,  and  the  full  corn-ears  are  pleasant  to  your  eyes. 
The  merciful  Jehovah  has  given  you  the  means  of 
creating  for  yourselves  an  Eden." 

"  His  goodness  is  great  even  when  He  chasteneth," 
replied  Adam.  "  We  will  labor  willingly  in  the  sweat 
of  our  brows.  But  formerly  Jehovah  was  nearer  to 
us,  and  blessed  us,  and  lifted  up  the  light  of  His 
countenance  on  us.  What  have  we  to  atone  for 
this?" 

"  Prayer,"  answered  the  Cherub.  "  Toil  is  the 
earthly;  prayer  is  the  heavenly  gift  of  Jehovah." 

"  Then  Adam  lifted  up  his  face,  and  gave  thanks, 


ye  THE  MORAL  ENDS  OF  BUSINESS. 

and  prayed,  and  confessed  that  the  Lord  is  gracious.' 
The  Parable  covers  the  whole  truth.  Toil  and  prayer; 
business  and  devotion  ;  these  are  two  blessed  priv- 
ileges, which  God  in  mercy  has  conferred  upon  our 
race.  "  Not  slothful  in  business ;  fervent  in  spirit ; 
serving  the  Lord." 

The  favorable  opportunities  of  which  we  speak,  are 
those  which  call  for  self-restraint,  those  which  call  for 
consideration,  and  those  which  call  for  a  generous 
beneficence.  In  the  activity  of  business  contact,  dil- 
igence discovers  many  admirable  means  of  grace. 
These  we  must  improve,  with  a  cordial  recognition  of 
their  divine  purpose. 

.a.  First  of  all,  there  are  many  opportunities  of  self- 
restraint.  The  fretting,  little  cares  must  be  met  calmly 
and  patiently;  the  ordinary  temptations  must  be  re- 
sisted ;  the  disappointments  must  not  be  allowed  to 
produce  despair ;  the  afflictions  must  witness  resigna- 
tion. Self-discipline  is  a  necessity,  which  is  only  pos- 
sible in  connection  with  life's  business.  In  the  retire- 
ment of  his  own  chamber  a  man  may  imagine  that 
he  has  completely  subdued  himself,  while  a  brief  ex- 
perience in  the  world  will  probably  convince  him  that 
he  has  still  many  very  active  remainders  of  corruption. 
The  mistake  of  monasticism  has  deluded  many  an 
earnest  soul  into  the  belief  that  a  religious  life  may 
be  advantageously  cultivated  within  the  retirement 
of  a  cell.     But  such  was  not  our  Saviour's  conception 


THE  MORAL  ENDS  OF  BUSINESS. 


77 


when  He  prayed  earnestly  that  His  disciples  might 
be  kept  from  the  evils  of  the  world  without  being 
taken  out  of  the  world.  We  need  just  this  discipline, 
my  brethren,  and  we  should  be  quick  to  appreciate 
it.  What  is  a  gilded  toy  of  some  land-locked  harbor, 
with  its  smooth  lines  and  well-trimmed  yards,  as  com- 
pared with  the  weather-beaten  merchantman  which 
has  sailed  on  every  sea !  Moral  heroism  is  realized  in 
conflict.  It  is  easy,  very  easy,  to  love  the  lovely  and 
to  do  good  to  the  amiable ;  but  it  is  hard,  very  hard, 
to  love  your  enemies,  to  do  good  to  those  who  hate 
you.  The  cheek  may  readily  be  turned  for  the  sec- 
ond kiss  of  a  friend,  but  the  man  who  will  offer  his 
cheek  for  a  second  blow  is  a  man  of  magnificent  self- 
control.  What  spectacle  is  there  that  is  more  truly 
divine  than  power  under  restraint.  Yet,  alas,  we  too 
seldom  witness  that  spectacle.  Our  impatience,  our 
fretfulness,  our  complaints — these  are  the  blemishes 
on  the  robe  of  many  a  saint.  I  have  somewhere 
read  that  Mr.  Pitt  once  gave  to  a  manager  of  the 
Bank  of  England  the  advice  not  to  lose  his  temper, 
if  possible,  at  any  time,  and  never  during  the  hours  of 
business.  The  illustrious  statesman  himself  was  an 
excellent  example  of  his  own  advice.  His  patience 
seemed  inexhaustible.  The  advice  is  timely.  We  may 
all  accept  it  with  profit  to  ourselves  and  others.  What- 
ever our  station  or  our  work  may  be,  we  may  find  op- 
portunity for  the  exercise  of  patience  or  self-restraint. 


78  THE  MORAL  ENDS  OF  BUSINESS. 

b.  There  are  opportunities,  not  a  few,  which  call  fof 
consideration.  It  is  written  :  "  Blessed  is  he  that  con- 
sidered the  poor."  "  The  poor  always  ye  have  with 
you."  There  are  many  kinds  of  poverty.  The  prob- 
lem of  distress  is  complex.  What  can  we  do  ?  How 
shall  relief  be  brought?  The  ordinary  business  of 
each  day  is  an  introduction  to  the  problem.  Who 
are  so  well  acquainted  with  the  requirements  of  child- 
life  as  the  women  who  nurture  and  train  these  little 
ones?  Who  know  the  condition  of  the  degraded 
classes  as  well  as  the  men  and  women  who  go  among 
them  with  counsel  and  encouragement  ?  Who  can 
appreciate  sorrow  if  he  has  never  had  a  grief  ?  We 
must  not  be  distant.  The  intimacy  of  life  is  too  real. 
"  Whether  one  member  suffer,  all  the  members  suffer 
with  it."  We  must  consider  one  another  in  order 
that  we  may  benefit  the  entire  race.  The  day  of  Chi- 
nese walls  and  sealed  ports  and  feudal  castles  has 
passed.  A  more  open  day  has  dawned.  Practical 
Christianity  is  abroad  in  search  of  the  needy.  Like 
the  brave  monks  of  St.  Bernard,  who  keep  watch 
upon  their  snowy  mountain  for  any  traveller  who 
may  be  dying  from  cold  and  hunger,  Christian  philan- 
thropy is  seeking  to  "  rescue  the  perishing  and  care 
for  the  dying."  Its  consideration  is  already  manifest- 
ing most  blessed  results,  and  is  also  offering  most 
encouraging  promises.  The  problems  are  not  de- 
spised.    With   devout  consecration  the  best  intelli- 


THE  MORAL  ENDS  OE  BUSINESS.  79 

gence  and  effort  are  given  to  these  interests  of  moral- 
ity and  social  order.  We  are  rapidly  making  history, 
and  history,  too,  of  a  most  encouraging  character. 
The  future  may  be  safely  left  to  Christianity,  if  only 
the  Holy  Spirit  will  quicken  Christians  in  order  that 
we  may  meet  the  call  of  Christ. 

And  can  any  one  imagine  that  such  consideration 
will  leave  no  impress  on  character?  How  is  it  with 
the  Christians,  who  are  most  ready  to  bear  one  an- 
other's burdens?  How  is  it  with  those  who  imitate 
the  Master  in  going  about  and  doing  good  ?  Surely, 
they  have  their  reward.  The  culture  of  the  virtues 
and  graces  proceeds  under  the  most  favorable  aus- 
pices. The  devoted  servants  of  Christ  are  Christ- 
like in  speech  and  conduct.  To  one  such  from  our 
own  community — a  modest  woman* — the  welcome  of 
our  Lord  has  just  been  spoken.  With  a  heart  full  of 
tenderness,  she  gave  her  life  to  the  poor,  neglected 
girls  of  the  city,  whose  interests  she  espoused,  and 
for  whose  sake  she  exhausted  her  vitality.  A  noble 
service,  beautifully  rendered,  and  as  beautifully  rec- 
ompensed by  Him  whose  anointing  filled  the  house 
at  Bethany  with  the  odor  of  the  spikenard  !  For  as 
the  gentle-hearted  woman  considered  others,  her 
Lord  considered  her,  and  made  His  grace  to  triumph 
in  a  spirituality  which  was  the  beginning  of  eternal  life. 


Mrs.  J.  F.  Joy. 


80  THE  MORAL  ENDS  OF  BUSINESS. 

c.  There  are  the  opportunities  of  a  generous  be- 
neficence. What  is  the  Gospel  but  love,  and  what 
is  love  without  beneficence  ?  Beneficence — the  sacred 
art  of  giving — needs  exercise ;  and  how  shall  we  exer- 
cise ourselves  in  this  grace,  if  we  have  nothing  to  do 
with  any  form  of  business?  One  of  your  number 
told  me  the  other  day  that  he  once  discovered  a 
spring  on  the  Palisades,  which  was  only  noticeable 
because  the  ground  was  wet  around  it.  When,  how- 
ever, the  spring  had  been  cleaned  and  piped,  the  wa- 
ters flowed  for  use  and  beauty  in  an  inexhaustible 
supply.  It  is  so  with  love.  There  are  hearts  whose 
love  is  hardly  more  than  the  moisture  of  selfishness. 
There  is  no  outlet ;  no  opportunity.  But  when  suf- 
fering is  present,  when  the  opportunity  is  at  hand, 
when  relief  is  organized,  then  the  love  pours  out  a 
strong,  full  stream  of  beneficence.  Thus  affliction  has 
been  sanctified,  and  the  memorials  of  sorrow  are  often 
blessings  to  the  poor  in  many  ways.  When  Henry 
I.  sailed  from  Normandy  to  England,  the  white  ship 
which  carried  Prince  William  and  his  bride  was  lost. 
The  king,  it  is  said,  never  smiled  again.  But  Theo- 
bald, who  was  with  Henry,  and  whose  grief  over  the 
loss  of  Matilda,  the  princess,  his  sister,  was  inconsol- 
able, rose  to  a  grander  estimate  of  the  meaning  of 
affliction,  and  gave  to  Bernard  of  Clairvaux  the 
money  with  which  to  erect  a  house  of  prayer  in  the 
beautiful  valley  of  France.     Life  must  carry  upon  its 


THE  MORAL  ENDS  OF  BUSINESS.  8 1 

surface  this  impressive  lesson.  We  are  not  to  live  for 
ourselves.  We  are  only  stewards.  As  God  is  always 
giving,  so  must  we  give  constantly,  and  in  giving, 
find  the  increase  of  our  devotion,  the  efficiency  of  our 
strength. 

In  one  of  his  emblems,  Gotthold  says  that  as  he 
was  passing  a  mill  he  remembered  the  remark  of  a 
friend,  that  "  man's  heart  is  like  a  mill-stone :  pour  in 
corn,  and  round  it  goes,  bruising  and  grinding  and 
converting  it  into  flour ;  whereas  give  it  no  corn,  and 
the  stone,  indeed,  turns  round,  but  only  grinds  itself 
away,  and  becomes  ever  thinner,  and  smaller,  and 
narrower."  Work  is  God's  benediction.  Business  is 
His  bountiful  provision  for  the  safety  of  man.  There 
are  moral  ends  to  be  secured.  Happy  is  he  who  se- 
cures those  ends  in  the  strengthening  and  adornment 
of  character,  so  that  he  becomes  prepared  to  stand 
before  "  the  King  eternal,  immortal,  invisible,  the 
only  wise  God! " 


4* 


V. 


CONCEPTIONS  OF  GOD  AS  EXPRESSED 
BY  THE  SANCTUARY* 

"  That  thine  eyes  may  be  open  toward  this  house 
night  and  day." — I  Kings  viii.  29. 

THERE  is  a  thought  of  present  interest  in  the 
petition  of  the  Hebrew  king.  He  has  completed  the 
magnificent  Temple,  which  is  designed  to  take  the 
place  of  the  simple  Tabernacle  in  the  worship  of  God. 
The  sacred  ark  has  been  deposited  in  the  inner  sanc- 
tuary, and  the  divine  response  of  the  descending, 
overshadowing  cloud  has  been  received.  A  song  of 
praise  has  met  this  welcome  expression  of  approval, 
and  Solomon  has  turned  to  pronounce  a  benediction 
upon  the  great  congregation.  Then  with  his  face 
toward  the  cloud  which  covers  the  Temple,  he  has 
prostrated  himself  upon  his  knees  to  engage  in  prayer. 

His  prayer  is  a  remarkable  exhibition  of  the  preva- 
lent ideas  respecting  God.  For  he  addresses  the 
Most  High  with  the  intelligent  reverence  which  the 
Hebrews  alone  are  able  to  express.    The  divine  unity 


*  Preached  after  the  enlargement  of  the  church  edifice. 
(82) 


CONCEPTIONS  OF  GOD.  83 

and  spirituality  are  recognized,  as  well  as  the  justice 
and  the  grace,  which  are  so  precious  to  the  chosen 
people.  Reference  is  made  to  the  efficacy  of  the 
sacrifices,  whose  significance  is  an  essential  element 
of  true  religion.  The  order  of  the  Temple,  in  its 
structure,  in  its  appointments,  in  its  many  services,  is 
presented  as  an  appeal,  which  may  be  expected  to  se- 
cure the  blessing  of  God.  Inasmuch  as  he  believes 
that  the  commands  of  God  have  been  met,  the  king 
rejoices  in  God's  approval.  This  obedience  is  mag- 
netic. By  it  the  cloud  has  been  attracted  to  the 
Temple,  upon  which  it  rests  as  the  symbol  of  the 
divine  presence. 

Consequently  the  petition,  which  asks  that  "  thine 
eyes  may  be  open  toward  this  house  night  and  day," 
is  an  expression  of  Solomon's  conviction  that  the 
Temple  with  its  worship  is  adapted  to  the  character 
of  God.  A  structure  like  this,  with  its  brazen  altar,  its 
laver,  its  table  of  shew-bread,  its  candlestick,  its  altar 
for  incense,  its  veil  and  sacred  ark ;  with  its  priests 
and  sacrifices ;  with  its  elaborate  ritual  and  many  ob- 
servances, which  are  concerned  with  the  reconciliation 
of  those  who  have  sinned,  can  have  reference  only  to 
the  worship  of  Jehovah,  who  is  "  merciful  and  gra- 
cious, long-suffering  and  abundant  in  goodness  and 
truth,  keeping  mercy  for  thousands,  forgiving  iniquity, 
transgression,  and  sin."  No  such  temple  would  have 
been  erected  by  a  heathen  nation.     Idolatry  does  not 


84  CONCEPTIONS  OF  GOD. 

express  itself  in  this  way  when  it  provides  for  the 
worship  of  false  gods.  Only  to  the  Lord  God,  who 
has  revealed  His  infinite  love  in  the  offering  of  His 
Son,  can  such  a  typical  system  make  an  appeal.  The 
Temple  is  simply  the  response  of  the  Hebrews  to  the 
revelation  of  the  divine  character  which  was  made  to 
Moses  at  Mount  Sinai.  Thus  the  convictions  of 
Solomon  and  the  religious  opinions  of  his  age  are 
recorded  as  their  conceptions  of  God  are  made 
known. 

This  then  is  the  thought  which  may  profitably  en- 
gage our  attention.  Our  sanctuary  has  been  re- 
modelled. Through  the  blessing  of  God  we  are  once 
more  permitted  to  worship  in  this  place  which  has 
become  very  sacred  to  us.  Since  we  last  met  here, 
extensive  alterations  and  improvements  have  been 
made.  Our  house  of  worship  is  now  commodious 
and  convenient.  Every  attention  has  been  paid  to 
our  comfort.  We  are  grateful  that  we  are  able  to  meet 
under  such  auspicious  circumstances.  This  work,  how- 
ever, as  it  has  been  planned  intelligently,  must  have 
reference  to  our  ideas  of  God.  This  is  not  a  heathen 
temple,  nor  is  it  a  lyceum.  These  walls  have  been 
erected  by  the  devotion  of  Christians  who  desire  thus 
to  secure  a  place  of  worship.  Our  conceptions  of  God 
have  conditioned  our  efforts  :  and  we  are  prepared 
now  to  invoke  the  blessed  presence  *of  Him  whose 
we  are  and  whom  we  serve  in  the  petition  of  the  He- 


CONCEPTIONS  OF  GOD.  85 

brew  king,  "  that  thine  eyes  may  be  open  toward  this 
house  night  and  day  !  " 

1st.  The  sanctuary  has  an  intimate  relation  to  the 
worship  of  the  church.  Our  Puritan  ancestors  called 
their  sanctuaries  "  meeting-houses,"  as  a  protest 
against  the  baptized  idolatry  of  the  middle  ages, 
which  had  attempted  to  sanctify  splendid  abbeys  and 
costly  shrines.  In  this  endeavor,  the  middle  ages 
neglected  sadly  the  spiritual  interests  of  the  people. 
Architecture  and  ecclesiasticism  joined  hands  in  the 
work  of  building  and  decorating  cathedrals  and  of 
establishing  hierarchies.  The  Bible  was  neglected. 
The  Gospel' was  seldom  preached  in  its  simplicity. 
Education  was  confined  to  the  universities.  Pilgrim- 
ages became  a  necessity,  inasmuch  as  acceptable 
prayer  was  supposed  to  be  associated  with  the  ser- 
vices of  particular  altars.  Images  of  the  saints  and 
pictures  of  the  Virgin  Mary  were  accepted  by  the 
ignorant  as  objects  of  worship.  Superstition  pre- 
vailed, and  with  it  intolerance,  and  with  that  evil 
cruelty,  and  with  cruelty  persecution.  Against  this 
spirit  and  these  practices,  Puritanism,  with  an  open 
Bible,  raised  its  hand  and  its  voice — its  hand,  which 
held  the  hammer  of  the  iconoclast,  and  its  voice, 
which  thundered  out  the  rebukes  and  denunciations 
of  the  Almighty.  Religion  took  possession  of  the 
popular  heart  in  connection  with  the  labors  of  Luther 
in  Germany,  of  Calvin  in  Switzerland,  of  Tyndale  in 


86  CONCEPTIONS  OF  GOD. 

England,  and  of  Erasmus  in  all  parts  of  Europe. 
Men  began  to  realize  that  they  were  deprived  of 
their  rights.  Their  intelligence,  quickened  and  in- 
formed by  the  Word  of  God,  which  they  could  read 
in  their  own  languages,  asserted  itself  firmly  and  in- 
dignantly. An  organization  was  effected.  A  blow 
for  liberty  was  struck,  and  a  new  idea  of  worship 
instantly  gained  prominence.  In  his  reply  to  Sir 
Thomas  More's  jest  about  the  building  of  Tenterden 
steeple,  Tyndale  Isaid  :  "  Since  these  false  monsters 
crope  up  into  our  consciences  and  robbed  us  of  the 
knowledge  of  our  Saviour,  Jesus  Christ,  making  us 
believe  in  such  pope,  holy  works,  and  to  think  that 
there  was  none  other  way  into  Heaven,  we  have 
not  wearied  to  build  them  abbeys,  cloisters,  colleges, 
chantries,  and  cathedral  churches  with  high  steeples, 
striving  and  envying  one  another  who  should  do 
most."  He  saw  and  others  with  him  that  the  Church 
of  the  living  God  is  the  mystical  body  of  our  Lord 
Jesus  Christ,  and  that  the  visible  church  "consists  of 
all  those  throughout  the  world  that  profess  the  true 
religion,  together  with  their  children."  Such  a  church 
is  not  to  be  confounded,  even  in  the  language  of 
familiar  speech,  with  a  stately  edifice,  which  has  been 
erected  out  of  the  stones  of  the  mountains,  out  of 
the  timber  of  the  forests,  out  of  the  gold  and  silver, 
graven  by  art  and  man's  device.  This  is  a  living 
Temple,  which  the  Holy  Spirit  fills  with  the  sacred 


CONCEPTIONS  OF  GOD.  87 

influences  of  penitence  and  faith,  of  peace  and  love. 
No  man  can  build  a  church.  God  alone  is  able  to 
quarry  and  to  fashion  the  lively  stones,  and  to  build 
up  a  spiritual  house. 

There  is  a  story  in  Church  history,  which  has  lived 
because  it  illustrates  the  power  of  these  truths  of 
God's  Word.  It  is  said  that  when  Charles  V.  was 
holding  the  Diet  of  Augsburg,  in  1530,  a  party  of 
actors  asked  leave  to  present  before  him  a  pantomime. 
When  permission  had  been  granted,  there  entered  the 
hall  a  masked  figure  in  a  doctor's  gown,  upon  whose 
back  was  a  label,  "  Johann  Reuchlin."  He  threw 
down  upon  the  floor  a  bundle  of  sticks,  some  straight 
and  some  crooked,  and  so  departed.  Next  followed 
another,  in  similar  dress,  whose  name  was  Erasmus  of 
Rotterdam.  He  tried  to  make  the  crooked  sticks 
square  with  the  straight  ones ;  and  then,  finding  his 
labor  in  vain,  retired  with  evident  confusion.  The 
third  masked  figure  was  Martin  Luther,  who  set  a 
light  to  the  crooked  sticks,  and  when  the  wood  was 
blazing,  went  out.  Then  came  in  the  emperor,  and 
with  drawn  r.word  tried  vainly  to  keep  the  fire  and 
the  sticks  apart.  Last  of  all,  Pope  Leo  X.  appeared, 
wringing  his  hands  and  looking  about  for  help.  Two 
jars — one  full  of  oil,  the  other  of  water — were  within 
reach.  He  passionately  seized  the  oil  and  poured  it 
upon  the  flames,  which,  spreading  madly,  drove  him 
away.     Puritanism  was  the  fire  which  no  violence  of 


88  CONCEPTIONS  OF  GOD. 

civil  authority,  which  no  cunning  of  ecclesiasticism 
could  arrest.  It  was  fed  by  the  divine  Word.  The 
truth,  as  God  had  made  it  known,  was  precious,  and 
nothing  was  allowed  to  interfere  with  the  progress  of 
that  truth.  Hence  Puritanism  took  pride  in  calling 
its  sanctuaries  "meeting-houses";  and  the  Pilgrims, 
one  branch  only  of  the  Puritans,  met  for  worship,  after 
they  had  landed  on  the  shores  of  New  England,  in 
buildings  which  were  severely  plain.  There  are  per- 
sons with  us  now  who  can  recall  the  unsightly  appear- 
ance of  the  old  white  "  meeting-house  "  upon  the  vil- 
lage green  of  their  native  town.  Architecture  was 
despised.  Even  the  comfort  of  worshippers  was  not 
considered.  The  high  pulpit  and  the  straight-back 
pews  and  the  long  prayers  and  the  theological  ser- 
mons were  intimately  related.  The  Pilgrims  expressed 
their  conceptions  of  worship.  We  may  think,  per- 
haps, that  they  erred  in  their  severity.  We  may  be- 
lieve, and  with  good  right,  that  they  would  have  been 
nearer  to  the  truth  of  God  if  they  had  not  reacted  so 
sharply  against  the  artistic  sentiments  of  the  middle 
ages.  For  God  has  implanted  in  man's  nature  the 
sentiment  of  the  beautiful,  and  that  sentiment  must 
somehow  be  allowed  expression  in  the  worship  of 
Him  who  is  the  perfection  of  beauty.  But  we  must 
judge  them  charitably.  They  were  fallible  men.  Un- 
der similar  circumstances  we  should  probably  not  do 
as  well  as  they  did.     Pioneer  work  is  rough  work. 


CONCEPTIONS  OF  GOD.  89 

The  sappers  and  miners  are  always  scratched  and 
bruised  by  the  contact  of  their  advance.  Truth  is 
more  to  us  than  beauty.  As  some  one  has  said :  "  We 
ornament  construction,  but  we  do  not  construct  orna- 
ment." The  protest  of  those  stirring  centuries  is 
echoing  still.  The  Church  in  its  spirituality  has  gained 
a  glorious  recognition.  Christendom  no  longer  tol- 
erates the  piracy  of  the  grand  old  name  Catholic  by 
Rome  or  Constantinople,  by  Canterbury  or  West- 
minster. When  the  confession  "  I  believe  in  the 
holy  Catholic  Church  "  is  heard,  the  charity  of  Chris- 
tian intelligence  looks  toward  each  horizon,  and  also 
heavenward,  with  the  sweet  consciousness  that  all  who 
"love  our  Lord  Jesus  Christ  in  sincerity  "  are  meant. 

"  One  family,  we  dwell  in  Him, 
One  Church  above,  beneath, 
Though  now  divided  by  the  stream, 
The  narrow  stream  of  death." 

Such  a  church,  while  its  members  are  here  upon  the 
earth,  must  meet  for  worship ;  and  the  sanctuaries, 
erected  with  pious  devotion,  must  express  the  ideas 
of  worship  which  obtain.  If  those  ideas  are  simple, 
the  sanctuaries  will  be  simple ;  while,  if  the  ideas  are 
associated  with  many  suggestions  of  human  thought, 
the  sanctuaries  will  resemble  the  cathedrals  of  the 
middle  ages,  in  which  altars  are  seen,  and  sacrifices 
are  performed,  and  priests  minister,  and  God's  Word 
has  little  prominence. 


9o 


CONCEPTIONS  OF  GOD. 


2d.  The  worship  of  the  Church  expresses  the  faith 
which  is  held  concerning  God.  The  purest  and  most 
acceptable  worship  will  always  proceed  from  a  well- 
informed  faith.  Our  blessed  Lord  said  to  the  woman 
of  Samaria  :  "  God  is  a  Spirit,  and  they  that  worship 
Him  must  worship  Him  in  spirit  and  in  truth "; 
while  Paul,  when  he  found  at  Athens  an  altar  to 
"  The  Unknown  God,"  remarked  to  the  Athenians : 
"  Whom  ye  ignorantly  worship,  Him  declare  I  unto 
you."  Just  as  we  know  God  shall  we  worship  Him. 
In  the  worship  of  the  Church,  therefore,  the  faith  of 
the  Church  is  expressed.  Devotion  uses  the  language 
of  worship,  and  devotion  is  nothing  better  than  a 
foolish  sentiment  if  it  finds  its  origin  in  concep- 
tions of  God  which  are  born  of  the  human  imagina- 
tion. The  divine  Word  alone  can  acquaint  us  with 
the  character  and  purposes  of  God  ;  and  in  that  Word 
alone  are  we  able  to  meet  the  truths  which  build  us 
up  on  our  most  holy  faith.  Faith  thus  established 
glows  as  devotion,  burning  the  purest  incense  of 
prayer  and  praise,  of  gratitude  and  love  in  the  pres- 
ence of  the  invisible  God.  But  faith  rests  upon 
truth,  and  thus  truth  underlies  worship.  There  can 
be  no  pure  worship,  holy  and  welcome  in  the  esti- 
mate of  Him  with  whom  we  have  to  do,  if  truth  is 
not  appreciated.  The  Italian  bandit,  with  his  bloody 
dagger  and  his  bloody  plans,  will  hardly  dare  to  pass 
a  wayside  shrine  without  pausing  to  repeat  his  "Ave  " 


CONCEPTIONS  OF  GOD.  91 

or  "  Pater  Noster."  Yet  who  will  say  that  he,  in  his 
ignorance  and  guilt,  is  an  ideal  worshipper?  He 
draws  near  with  his  mouth,  perchance,  but  his  heart 
is  far  away.  On  the  other  hand,  the  Scotch  cove- 
nanter, with  his  old  Bible  and  in  his  quiet  Highland 
home,  is  able  to  offer  the  most  devout  offering  to 
God  when  he  kneels  and  simply  pours  out  his  soul 
in  prayer.  "  Having  therefore,  brethren,  boldness  to 
enter  into  the  holiest  by  the  blood  of  Jesus,  by  a  new 
and  living  way,  which  He  hath  consecrated  for  us, 
through  the  veil,  that  is  to  say,  His  flesh,  and  having 
an  high-priest  over  the  house  of  God,  let  us  draw 
near  with  a  true  heart,  in  full  assurance  of  faith,  hav- 
ing our  hearts  sprinkled  from  an  evil  conscience,  and 
our  bodies  washed  with  pure  water."  We  must  "  wor- 
ship the  Lord  in  the  beauty  of  holiness."  From  the 
Hebrews  He  demanded  a  lamb  "  without  blemish 
and  without  spot,"  and  from  us  He  requires  an 
equally  pure  sacrifice.  "  The  sacrifices  of  God  are  a 
broken  spirit."  "A  broken  and  a  contrite  heart, 
O  God,  Thou  wilt  not  despise." 

When,  therefore,  we  become  acquainted  with  the 
worship  of  the  Church,  we  become  acquainted,  also, 
with  the  prevalent  ideas  concerning  God.  Who  is 
God  whom  we  worship  ?  What  is  the  Divine  char- 
acter ?  Are  His  purposes  known  ?  How  shall  we 
approach  Him  ?  Let  us  inquire  of  the  splendid 
service  which  the  Romish  Church   has  brought  to 


92  CONCEPTIONS  OF  GOD. 

such  perfection.  What  answer  will  be  given  ?  Here 
are  paintings  and  images  which  represent  the  mother 
of  our  Lord  and  many  canonized  saints.  Before 
them,  prayer  is  offered.  Here  are  altars  and  priests, 
and  the  sacrifice  of  the  Mass  is  constantly  celebrated. 
Here  are  confessionals,  and  the  forgiveness  of  sins  is 
authoritatively  announced.  As  we  look  upon  such 
an  order  of  worship,  what  impression  do  we  gain  ?  I 
am  not  of  those  who  turn  away  with  ridicule  and  dis- 
gust from  the  worship  which  has  accumulated  a  great 
deal  of  error  around  a  precious  nucleus  of  truth.  I 
should  be  ashamed  of  my  Protestantism  if  it  con- 
sisted largely  in  denunciations  of  another  name. 
There  is  too  much  devotion  within  that  ancient 
communion,  too  much  heroism  in  the  ministry  of 
self-denial,  too  much  holy  living  to  allow  of  such 
reflections.  Yet  I  can  see  the  error  and  rebuke  it, 
even  when  I  recognize  the  truth  and  commend  it. 
Heartily  do  I  join  with  Robertson*  in  saying:  "I 
pray  you,  Christian  brethren,  do  not  join  those  fierce 
associations  which  think  only  of  uprooting  error. 
There  is  a  spirit  in  them  which  is  more  of  earth  than 
heaven  ;  short-sighted,  too,  and  self-destructive.  They 
do  not  make  converts  to  Christ,  but  only  controver- 
sialists and  adherents  to  a  party.  They  compass  sea 
and  land.     It  matters  little  whether  fierce  Romanism 


*  "  Sermons,"  Vol.  II.,  269. 


CONCEPTIONS  OF  GOD. 


93 


or  fierce  Protestantism  wins  the  day ;  but  it  does 
matter  whether  or  not  in  the  conflict  we  lose  some 
precious  truth  as  well  as  the  very  spirit  of  Christi- 
anity." What,  then,  is  the  mistaken  conception  of 
God  which  this  worship  appears  to  perpetuate?  I 
reply,  that  it  makes  too  little  of  the  sincerity  and  suf- 
ficiency of  God's  purpose  to  save  the  world  by  the 
sacrifice  of  Jesus  Christ.  As  we  read  the  Bible,  we 
are  taught  that  "  God  so  loved  the  world  that  He 
gave  His  only  begotten  Son,  that  whosoever  believeth 
in  Him  should  not  perish,  but  have  everlasting  life  "; 
that  the  Son  of  God  was  "  made  in  the  likeness  of 
men  ";  that  "  He  became  obedient  unto  death,  even 
the  death  of  the  cross";  that  He  has  "put  away  sin 
by  the  sacrifice  of  Himself";  that  "  by  one  offering 
He  hath  perfected  forever  them  that  are  sanctified  "; 
that  "  by  grace  are  ye  saved,  through  faith  ";  that  He 
is  "  a  merciful  and  faithful  High-Priest  in  things  per- 
taining to  God ";  that  we  may  "  come  boldly  unto 
the  Throne  of  Grace  ";  that  "  if  we  confess  our  sins, 
He  is  faithful  and  just  to  forgive  us  our  sins,  and  to 
cleanse  us  from  all  unrighteousness  ";  that  "  there  is 
one  Mediator  between  God  and  men,  the  man  Christ 
Jesus."  Thus  we  become  acquainted  with  God  in 
the  revelation  of  the  Son.  We  are  satisfied  to  trust 
Him.  To  Him  we  make  ©ur  confessions  of  sins,  for 
He  is  always  ready  to  hear  and  to  pardon,  and  con- 
sequently the  confessional  is  not  required  ;    to  His 


94 


CONCEPTIONS  OF  GOD. 


complete  sacrifice  on  Calvary  we  look  by  faith,  and 
are  assured  that  no  repetition  of  that  supreme  act 
can  ever  be  required,  and  consequently  we  do  not 
wish  to  celebrate  the  Mass,  nor  do  we  believe  in  a 
human  priesthood  as  an  essential  order  of  the  Chris- 
tian ministry.  Jesus  Christ  is  our  Prophet,  Priest, 
and  King ;  to  Him  we  direct  our  loving  and  adoring 
interest,  and  are  confident  that  no  intercessor,  like 
the  Virgin  Mary  or  a  saint,  is  needed  to  plead  on  our 
behalf,  and  consequently  we  are  not  careful  to  kneel 
before  pictures  or  images  when  we  worship. 

It  is  evident  that  there  are  two  ideas  of  God  in 
these  two  orders  of  worship.  God,  as  we  know  Him 
in  our  Bible  study,  is  very  near  to  us,  is  deeply  inter- 
ested in  our  welfare,  is  seeking  our  salvation,  has 
made  every  provision  for  our  religious  wants.  The 
glory  of  God  appears  in  the  face  of  Jesus  Christ, 
whom  we  have  been  taught  to  admire  and  to  rever- 
ence and  to  love  and  to  worship.  As  little  children, 
we  fold  our  hands  and  lisp  our  simple  prayer — the 
"our  Father  which  art  in  Heaven,"  and  as  strong 
men,  we  bow  our  heads  reverently  with  an  awe- 
inspiring  consciousness  of  the  Infinite  Majesty  of 
God,  and  still  we  use  the  language,  "  Our  Father 
which  art  in  Heaven."  We  have  no  altars,  because 
Christ,  our  Saviour,  is  the  living  altar;  we  have  no 
bloody  sacrifices,  because  the  sacrifice  of  Christ  is  our 
sufficient  plea.     We  call  no  man  priest,  because  the 


CONCEPTIONS  OF  GOD.  95 

priesthood  was  abolished  when  the  Temple  veil  was 
rent  in  twain  to  discover  to  all  worshippers  the 
mercy-seat.  God  invites  us ;  we  respond  ;  with  pen- 
itence and  faith  we  approach  Him,  believing  that  He 
will  bless  us  "  for  Jesus'  sake." 

Let  us  turn  now  and  observe  the  worship  of  the 
sanctuary  which  is  often  called  a  "  meeting-house." 
Here  is  a  less  stately  edifice,  although  taste  and 
beauty  may  find  expression  here,  and  comfort  and 
convenience  may  both  be  known.  Puritanism  has 
wisely  invoked  the  aid  of  architecture  to  relieve  it 
from  the  accusation  of  barrenness  and  austerity  under 
which  it  once  rested.  Truth  may  be  as  faithfully  ex- 
pressed in  worship,  when  the  eye  is  not  offended,  and 
the  body  is  not  chilled,  as  ever  it  has  been  in  dens 
or  caves  of  the  earth,  when  every  possible  discomfort 
was  experienced.  Within  this  sanctuary,  now  entered 
for  inspection,  the  arrangements  for  worship  are 
simple.  There  are  no  pictures  nor  images  before 
which  devotion  kneels.  A  congregation  assembles 
to  unite  in  prayer  and  praise  to  God,  to- celebrate  the 
sacraments  of  Baptism  and  the  Lord's  Supper,  and 
to  pronounce  and  to  hear  the  inspired  Word.  A 
chosen  leader  of  these  services  is  a  minister  or  serv- 
ant, not  in  any  special  sense  a  priest.  He  stands 
behind  the  Holy  Bible,  which  is  his  authority  and 
defence.  Between  him  and  his  brethren,  as  an  ar- 
biter, as   a  bond  of  union,  as  a  token  of  respect,  ap- 


96  CONCEPTIONS  OF  GOD. 

pears  this  sacred  volume.  Out  of  it  he  is  to  be 
judged;  and  out  of  it  they  are  to  be  judged  also. 
He  is  only  a  weak  man.  If  he  is  faithful  in  his  pres- 
entations of  these  divine  truths,  in  prayer,  in  song, 
in  the  many  utterances  of  his  ministry,  his  message 
is  to  be  received  as  the  truth  of  God ;  if  he  is  un- 
faithful, if  his  own  conceits  find  place  and  expression, 
the  message  from  his  lips  is  to  be  treated  as  the  word 
of  man.  The  one  endeavor  of  this  worship  seems  to 
be  to  honor  God  in  Christ,  to  emphasize  the  redemp- 
tion which  has  been  accomplished  for  the  race,  to 
quicken  the  individual  conscience,  to  develop  per- 
sonal religion,  to  secure  the  daily  and  hourly  worship 
of  holy  activity.  God  is  presented  with  His  deep 
concern  for  all  that  is  human.  His  presence  in  life  is 
constantly  taught.  The  familiarity  of  His  address  is 
announced.  His  hopes  and  His  benedictions  are  urged 
for  man's  acceptance. 

Errors,  we  may  rest  assured,  will  creep  in  and  at- 
tach themselves  here  as  elsewhere.  No  one  of  us  is 
safe.  This  order  of  worship  has  its  dangers,  which 
we  should  not  fail  to  consider.  When  we  are  trained 
to  think  familiarly  of  God,  we  may  find  that  we  are 
thinking  carelessly  and  irreverently  of  Him.  Even 
the  blessed  assurance  that  we  are  justified  by  faith 
has  led,  as  in  the  days  of  Luther,  to  frightful  excesses 
through  the  perversions  of  corrupt  men.  Religion 
is  morality  as  well  as  devotion.     "  Who,"  asks  the 


CONCEPTIONS  OF  GOD.  gy 

Psalmist,  "shall  ascend  into  the  hill  of  the  Lord? 
or  who  shall  stand  in  His  holy  place?"  Then  he 
answers  his  own  question  by  saying,  "  He  that  hath 
clean  hands  and  a  pure  heart,"  not  the  clean  hands 
alone,  for  that  would  be  morality  without  devotion  ; 
not  the  pure  heart  alone,  for  that  would  be  mysticism 
without  morality.  But  the  clean  hands  and  the  pure 
heart,  morality  and  devotion.  Our  simplicity  of 
worship  may  incline  us  to  be  intolerant  of  others 
who  prefer,  as  they  have  a  right  to,  much  more  form. 
The  prayers  which  the  eye  catches  from  the  printed 
page  may  be  adopted  as  the  heart's  sincere  expres- 
sion, as  truly  as  the  prayers  which  the  ear  reports  to 
the  mind.  There  is  room  for  large  liberty  here.  God 
has  given ;  let  no  man  question  it.  Then  there  may 
be  a  veritable  idolatry  of  the  Word,  a  bowing  down 
to  worship  the  sacred  volume,  a  carrying  the  Book 
about  as  the  African  carries  a  fetich,  a  treatment  of 
its  ennobling  truths  which  is  fatal  to  any  hope  of 
discovering  their  spirit  and  life.  "  Search  the  Scrip- 
tures," our  Lord  said.  The  Book  is  to  be  valued  for 
its  contents.  Only  they  properly  use  it  who  bring 
forth  from  its  treasures  the  precious  messages  of  di- 
vine love,  and  the  still  more  precious  exhibition  of 
Divine  Excellence,  which  is  contained  in  the  life  and 
work  of  Jesus  Christ. 

Worship  should  be  studious.      Its  knowledge   of 
God    should    be   increasingly   intimate.      With   this 
5 


98 


CONCEPTIONS  OF  GOD. 


knowledge  there  should  be  an  adaptation  of  order  or 
method.  We  do  not  think  of  God  precisely  as  our 
fathers  did.  Our  thought  has  more  of  Christ  in  it. 
We  dwell  more  upon  the  love  than  upon  the  stern 
attributes  of  the  divine  nature.  Our  Christianity  is 
more  catholic  and  more  practical.  Canon  Freemantle  * 
has  remarked  that  "the  old  Jerusalem  was  all  temple. 
The  mediaeval  church  was  all  temple.  But  the  ideal 
of  the  New  Jerusalem  was  no  temple,  but  a  God- 
inhabited  society The  title  of  its  Founder  is 

Immanuel,  God  with  us,  God  in  us,  God  making 
Himself  a  home  in  all  the  relations  in  which  love  and 
justice  draw  man  to  man,  and  class  to  class,  and  na- 
tion to  nation  ;  a  God  who  is  known  and  realized  in 
the  tenderness  of  fatherly  and  motherly  and  filial  af- 
fection, the  rapture  of  married  love,  the  steadiness  of 
friendship,  the  honesty  of  trade  relations,  the  loyalty 
of  citizenship,  the  righteousness  of  political  rule,  the 
peace  which  is  destined  to  bind  together  all  mankind. 
....  All  worship  which  does  not  aim  at  these  is  hy- 
pocrisy ;  that  worship  alone  is  Christian  worship 
which  aims  at  their  establishment."  As  then  truth 
concerning  God  breaks  in  upon  and  informs  the  mind, 
worship  will  adopt  new  expressions.  We  do  not 
worship  just  as  our  fathers  did,  and  our  children  will 
not  worship  just  as  we  do.     Yet  those  before  us  wor- 


The  Gospel  of  the  Secular  Life,"  p.  67. 


CONCEPTIONS  OF  GOD.  gg 

shipped  acceptably,  and  received  the  witness  of  the 
Holy  Spirit ;  and  we  believe  that  God  will  be  pleased 
to  accept  our  worship  whenever  it  is  sincerely  offered  ; 
and  we  are  confident  that  "  from  the  rising  of  the 
sun  even  unto  the  going  down  of  the  same,  His  name 
shall  be  great  among  the  Gentiles  ;  and  in  every  place 
incense  shall  be  offered  unto  His  name  and  a  pure  of- 
fering." No  stereotyped  order  of  worship  has  come 
down  to  us  with  divine  sanction,  and  yet  we  know 
that  God  has  given  the  alphabet  with  which  each  de- 
vout heart  may  form  the  sentences  of  prayer  and  praise. 
3d.  The  faith  which  is  held  concerning  God  de- 
termines the  divine  attitude  toward  the  sanctuary.  It 
was  after  Moses  had  faithfully  met  the  pattern  which 
had  been  given  to  him  in  the  Mount,  that  the  cloud 
rested  upon  the  Tabernacle ;  it  was  after  Solomon 
had  provided  the  furniture,  as  God  had  directed, 
that  the  Temple  was  covered  with  the  cloud.  If 
either  of  these  eminent  leaders  of  worship  had  diso- 
beyed, if  Moses  had  left  out  the  brazen  altar,  or  if 
Solomon  had  concluded  that  the  laver  was  superflu- 
ous ;  if  Moses  had  decided  that  he  would  not  veil 
the  Most  Holy  Place,  or  if  Solomon  had  ventured  to 
bring  in  a  new  order  of  priesthood,  God  would  not 
have  met  their  worship  with  His  approval.  They 
both  accepted,  however,  the  revelation  of  Mount 
Sinai  as  from  God,  and  then  they  knew  that  an  an- 
swer was  theirs. 


IOo  CONCEPTIONS  OF  GOD. 

Unless  we,  my  friends,  can  reproduce  their  wisdom 
in  our  experience,  we  can  not  anticipate  the  blessed 
presence  of  God  in  this  place.  We  have  no  right  to 
ask  Him  to  bless  us  if  we  are  not  honestly  expressing 
our  faith  concerning  Him,  and  if  we  are  not  as  hon- 
estly endeavoring  to  make  that  faith  intelligent.  This 
sanctuary,  so  costly  and  so  beautiful,  is  of  no  interest 
whatever  to  the  Infinitely  Pure  and  Holy  One  to  whose 
service  it  has  been  set  apart,  if  it  is  to  be  the  scene  of 
perversions  of  Christian  life,  if  its  walls  are  to  resound 
with  perversions  of  Christian  truth,  if  it  is  to  minister 
to  pride,  and  to  worldliness,  and  to  impiety.  The 
Apostle  is  very  bold,  and  says :  "  Though  we,  or  an 
angel  from  Heaven  preach  any  other  Gospel  unto 
you  than  that  which  we  have  preached  unto  you,  let 
him  be  accursed.  As  we  said  before  so  say  I  now 
again,  if  any  man  preach  any  other  Gospel  unto  you 
than  that  ye  have  received,  let  him  be  accursed." 
Paul  understood  that  the  divine  blessing  will  never 
rest  upon  those  who  disregard  the  divine  Son.  It  is 
idle  to  ask  for  it.  Until  we  honor  the  Son,  our  wor- 
ship will  not  be  honored.  But  when  we  bring  Him 
our  penitence  and  offer  Him  our  faith  at  the  altar  of 
His  own  priceless  sacrifice ;  when  we  are  cleansed  by 
the  Holy  Spirit  in  the  application  of  the  pure  water 
of  His  holy  Word  ;  when  we  accept  Him  as  the  Bread 
of  Life  at  the  Table  which  announces  His  enduring 
sufficiency  ;  when  we  live  and  walk  continually  in  the 


CONCEPTIONS  OF  GOD.  i0r 

light  of  the  golden  candlestick,  and  present  our  devo- 
tion upon  the  altar  for  the  incense  of  prayer  ;  when  we 
appear  before  the  mercy-seat  naming  His  name,  plead- 
ing His  merits,  rejoicing  in  His  example,  obeying  His 
commands,  then  may  we  expect  an  answer  in  love  and 
mercy  which  will  prove  to  each  disciple  of  the  Re- 
deemer the  witness  of  the  Spirit  with  our  spirits  that 
we  are  the  sons  of  God,  and  which  will  awaken  such 
an  interest  in  careless  souls  that  they  will  inquire 
eagerly  to  learn  the  way  to  be  saved. 

Our  theme  carries  with  it  its  own  exhortation. 
We  have  enlarged  our  sanctuary,  that  in  it  we  may 
meet  for  worship.  God  grant  that  the  worship  here 
offered  by  us  and  by  later  generations  may  be  so  pure 
and  acceptable  that  the  prayer  of  the  Hebrew  king 
will  always  be  appropriate !  Then  as  we  pray  that 
"  thine  eyes  may  be  open  toward  this  house  night  and 
day,"  we  shall  know  that  contrition  will  receive  par- 
don, that  faith  will  rejoice  in  the  beatific  vision,  that 
consecration  will  be  directed  and  stimulated,  that 
hope  will  be  sanctified,  that  sorrow  will  be  cheered. 
Here  the  songs  of  praise  and  devotion  will  be  heard, 
and  the  language  of  prayer  will  be  familiar ;  here 
"  the  truth  as  it  is  in  Jesus"  will  be  proclaimed,  and 
the  holy  sacraments  of  the  church  will  be  adminis- 
tered ;  here  the  union  of  hearts  will  be  solemnized  as 
a  blessing  is  pronounced  upon  marriage,  and  here, 
too,  the  separation  of  hearts  will  be  apparent,  as  the 


I02  CONCEPTIONS  OF  GOD. 

mourners  sit  around  their  dead.  Yet  in  contrition  or 
in  faith,  in  consecration  or  in  holy  joy,  in  the  begin- 
ning or  at  the  close  of  life,  with  promise  or  with  me- 
morial, Jesus  Christ,  God's  Son,  our  Saviour,  will  ever 
meet  us,  and  His  presence  will  be  our  best  evidence 
that  God  responds  in  love. 


VI. 

THE    EFFICIENCY    OF    REFINEMENT* 

"  That  our  sons  may  be  as  plants,  grown  up  in 
their  youth ;  that  our  daughters  may  be  as 
corner-stones,  polished  after  the  si7nilitude  of 
a  palace y — Psalm  cxliv.  12. 

The  prayer  of  the  Psalmist  recognizes  the  efficiency 
of  refinement.  For  he  asks  that  the  sons  of  the 
nation  may  be  like  plants,  which  are  productive  and 
beautiful,  even  in  their  youth,  and  that  the  daughters 
of  the  land  may  resemble  sculptured  pillars,  which 
strengthen  and  adorn  the  interior  of  a  palace.  In  the 
public  life  of  the  Hebrews,  he  sees  the  place  of  the 
young  men  who  have  been  carefully  educated,  and  in 
their  domestic  and  social  life,  he  believes  that  the 
young  women,  who  are  intelligent,  may  exert  a  power- 
ful influence.  Thus  he  associates  activity  and  useful- 
ness with  refinement ;  and  his  prayer  expresses  the 
conviction  that  refinement  is  desirable,  inasmuch  as  it 
can  serve. 

The  thought  which  is  thus  announced  is  endorsed 


*  Preached  before  the  graduating  class  of  the  Packer  Col- 
legiate Institute,  Brooklyn,  N.  Y.,  June  19,  1881. 

(103) 


104 


THE  EFFICIENCY  OF  REFINEMENT. 


by  Christ,  and  illustrated  by  His  perfect  life.  His 
words  lead  to  refinement ;  and  His  life,  so  pure  and 
beautiful,  was  employed  in  helpful,  self-sacrificing 
work.  "  He  went  about  doing  good."  "  He  came 
not  to  be  ministered  unto,  but  to  minister,  and  to 
give  His  life  a  ransom  for  many." 

Instructed  by  the  Master,  the  disciples  of  Christ 
have  used  their  refinement  to  benefit  the  world.  The 
world  has  been  enriched  by  them.  Literature,  science, 
and  art  have  attended  their  efforts.  The  standard  of 
excellence  which  governs  them  is  so  high  that  a 
higher  can  not  be  conceived.  They  are  laboring  that 
we  all  may  "  come  in  the  unity  of  the  faith,  and  of 
the  knowledge  of  the  Son  of  God,  unto  a  perfect 
man,  unto  the  measure  of  the  stature  of  the  fulness 
of  Christ."  For  it  is  the  belief  of  Christians,  that  the 
perfect  man  in  Christ  is  "  the  best  material  and  the 
best  instrument  for  any  great  undertaking,  or  for  any 
worthy  enterprise  that  is  not  great,  whether  you  would 
build  a  character,  a  home,  a  literature,  a  nation." 

Thus  Christianity  produces  a  refinement  which  is 
efficient ;  and,  as  a  consequence,  the  progress  of  the 
centuries  can  never  outstrip  Christianity.  For  while 
progress  means  refinement,  Christianity  means  re- 
finement also ;  and  while  progress  demands  a  refine- 
ment which  is  useful,  Christian  refinement  appreci- 
ates its  work  and  is  ready  to  accomplish  it.  Recent- 
ly it  has  been  said  that  "the  new  French  socialism 


THE  EFFICIENCY  OF  REFINEMENT.        105 

waves  its  adieu  to  Christianity  as  a  social  failure,  on 
the  ground  that  alms-giving  and  resignation  are  its 
last  words."  But  "  we  have  not  so  learned  Christ." 
Christianity,  as  we  have  been  taught,  looks  into  the 
future  as  the  soldier  plans  his  campaign  ;  stands  wait- 
ing in  the  present,  as  the  laborer  waits  for  the  oppor- 
tunity of  service,  with  loins  girded,  with  arms  bared, 
with  shovel  and  with  axe. 

To  the  graduating  class  of  the  Packer  Institute, 
the  subject  which  is  thus  presented  for  consideration 
is  of  practical  importance.  Your  feet  are  now  upon 
the  threshold.  You  are  about  to  leave  the  quiet  of 
the  school-room  for  the  activity  of  the  busy,  eager 
world.  For  many  years  you  have  enjoyed  the  ad- 
vantages of  education  in  one  of  the  leading  Christian 
Institutions  of  our  land.  Christian  refinement,  as 
possessed  by  your  instructors,  has  done  its  utmost  to 
refine  you.  You  represent  the  ripest  intelligence  of 
the  age.  And  now  the  question  of  your  efficiency 
must  come  home  to  you  with  intense  significance. 
You  are  young  ladies  of  refinement.  But  of  what 
use  is  this  refinement?  What  can  you  add  to  the 
forces  which  are  ministering  unto  human  beings? 
Have  you  a  noble  purpose?  Has  your  refinement 
been  sanctified  by  a  true  consecration  ?  Bear  with 
me  while  I  endeavor  to  open  this  subject  and  to  pre- 
sent a  few  of  its  applications. 

The  aim  of  education  is  to  produce  refinement 
5* 


106        THE  EFFICIENCY  OF  REFINEMENT. 

— refinement  is  the  legitimate  result  of  education. 
There  are,  of  course,  many  degrees  and  varieties 
of  refinement,  and  yet  each  one  of  these  degrees, 
each  one  of  these  varieties,  is  associated  with  educa- 
tion. The  savage  teaches  his  son  to  handle  the  bow, 
to  ride  the  horse,  to  build  the  wigwam,  to  follow  the 
trail,  and  in  so  doing  he  refines  his  natural  powers  so 
that  he  is  enabled  to  triumph  over  the  elements  of 
nature,  to  subdue  wild  beasts,  and  to  contend  with 
hostile  tribes.  Travellers  often  wonder  at  the  extent 
of  this  refinement.  The  sight  is  rendered  marvellous- 
ly keen,  the  touch  becomes  as  gentle  as  an  infant's 
breath,  and  the  hearing  is  so  acute  that  the  faintest 
whisper  is  detected.  Education  among  savages  seeks 
this  sort  of  refinement.  From  our  vantage-ground 
we  may  despise  it ;  yet  when  a  comparison  is  insti- 
tuted, it  will  be  found  that  a  brave  or  a  chieftain  has 
been  educated  up  to  the  position  which  he  holds  in 
view  of  his  endurance,  his  courage,  and  his  skill. 

The  farmer's  boy  who  has  learned  to  run  a  straight 
furrow,  to  swing  the  scythe  skilfully,  to  plant  trees, 
to  cultivate  the  fields,  has  secured  a  measure  of  re- 
finement, which  elevates  him  above  his  associates. 
In  his  own  department  of  life  he  has  become  an  in- 
telligent man.  His  opinions  are  recognized ;  his  in- 
fluence is  felt. 

The  apprentice  who  is  learning  one  of  the  mechani- 
cal trades  is  seeking  refinement.     When  he  begins  to 


THE  EFFICIENCY  OF  REFINEMENT.       107 

work  with  tools  he  is  very  clumsy  and  awkward.  A 
great  deal  of  excellent  material  is  injured  by  him. 
He  can  hardly  drive  a  nail,  or  saw  through  a  plank. 
After  a  time,  however,  his  hand  becomes  steady,  and 
he  is  able  to  undertake  the  finest  work. 

In  the  school-room,  where  books  are  used,  refine- 
ment is  the  aim  of  instruction.  We  enter  the  school- 
room in  our  infancy,  hardly  knowing  who  or  what  we 
are ;  we  leave  it  in  our  maturity  with  knowledge  of 
ourselves,  and  of  what  we  can  do. 

You  remember  how  forcibly  this  idea  is  expressed 
by  Mr.  Tennyson : 

"  The  baby  new  to  earth  and  sky, 

What  time  his  tender  palm  is  prest 
Against  the  circle  of  the  breast, 
Has  never  thought  that '  this  is  I.' 

"  But  as  he  grows  he  gathers  much, 
And  learns  the  use  of  '  I '  and  '  me,' 
And  finds  '  I  am  not  what  I  see, 
And  other  than  the  things  I  touch.' 

"  So  rounds  he  to  a  separate  mind, 

From  whence  clear  memory  may  begin, 
As  thro'  the  frame  that  binds  him  in 
His  isolation  grows  defined." 

Thus  every  child  is  an  experimental  philosopher, 
and  the  refining  process  waits  upon  the  experiments. 

But  the  great  world  is,  after  all,  nothing  but  a  large 
school-room,  and  men  and  women  all  their  lives  are 
only   grown-up   scholars.      Education   goes   on,  and 


108        THE  EFFICIENCY  OF  REFINEMENT. 

education  means  refinement.  An  upward  pressure  is 
constantly  felt ;  each  generation  makes  an  advance ; 
new  thoughts  are  presented ;  an  interest  in  literature 
is  awakened  as  the  common  wants  of  life  are  met ; 
spirituality  asserts  itself ;  art  summons  the  students 
who  are  to  become  renowned ;  science  welcomes  re- 
cruits from  the  quarry,  the  forge,  the  sheepfold,  and  the 
plough ;  the  peasant's  cottage  is  on  the  road  which 
passes  by  the  mansion  of  affluence  or  the  dwelling- 
place  of  power;  the  plain,  unlettered  parent  stands  be- 
side the  learned  and  distinguished  son  as  he  becomes 
the  chief  ruler  of  a  republic ;  the  few  articles  of  humble 
poverty  are  in  contrast  with  the  unnumbered  luxuries  of 
great  wealth  ;  appreciation  increases  ;  the  range  of  life 
broadens ;  libraries  are  a  necessity ;  a  picture  discov- 
ers its  noble  thought ;  a  statue  proclaims  a  principle. 
These  wonderful  advances  are  made  with  astonishing 
rapidity.  Nations  are  really  born  in  a  day.  It  is 
almost  impossible  to  grasp  the  significance,  or  to  re- 
alize the  meaning,  of  the  educational  tendencies  which 
are  now  so  influential.  In  every  direction  the  refine- 
ment of  life  is  going  on.  A  great  city,  with  its  dwell- 
ings, its  museums,  its  churches,  its  galleries,  its  parks, 
its  libraries,  its  lyceums,  is  an  expression  of  modern 
refinement.  And  this  refinement,  such  as  it  is,  is  the 
impulse  of  the  age.  "  Culture  "  has  become  the  watch- 
word of  the  hour.  Much  that  is  superficial,  and  much 
that  is  dangerous,  take  shelter  under  cover  of  this 


THE  EFFICIENCY  OF  REFINEMENT. 


109 


fair-sounding  word.  We  are  rushing  on,  gaining  every 
year  in  refinement,  pressing  the  necessity  of  education 
at  eveiy  point,  calling  to  our  aid  the  master  spirits  of 
every  land,  confirming  ourselves  in  the  conviction 
that  man's  chief  end  is  refinement,  and  that  "  culture  " 
is  the  present  Christ.  Are  we  right  ?  Is  there  need 
of  a  danger-signal  ?  Can  we  discover  any  signs  of  a 
useless,  vain  refinement  ?  What  does  history  teach  ? 
What  is  the  wisdom  of  God's  Word? 

A  refinement  which  is  to  be  efficient  must  pos- 
sess certain  moral  qualities.  One  of  the  most  thought- 
ful of  our  historians  has  remarked  :  "  The  difficulty  of 
conduct  does  not  lie  in  knowing  what  it  is  right  to 
do,  but  in  doing  it  when  known.  Intellectual  culture 
does  not  touch  the  conscience.  It  provides  no  mo- 
tives to  overcome  the  weakness  of  the  will,  and  with 
wider  knowledge,  it  brings  also  new  temptations." 
And  he  adds  these  significant  words :  "  Tendencies 
now  in  operation  may  a  few  generations  hence  land 
modern  society  in  similar  conclusions,  unless  other 
convictions  arise  meanwhile  and  get  the  mastery  of 
them." 

It  should  not  be  forgotten  when  the  opening 
chapters  of  Paul's  epistle  to  the  Romans  are  read, 
that  the  Apostle  was  writing  to  a  people  who  had 
reached  "  the  blossoming  period  of  the  old  civilization, 
when  the  intellect  was  strained  to  the  highest  point 
which  it  could  reach ;  and  on  the  great  subjects  of 


1 10        THE  EFFICIENCY  OF  REFINEMENT. 

human  interest,  on  morals,  on  politics,  on  poetry,  on 
art,  even  on  religion  itself,  men  thought  as  we  think, 
doubted  where  we  doubt,  argued  as  we  argue,  aspired 
and  struggled  after  the  same  objects."  *  To  the  Rome 
of  the  Caesars,  Paul  sent  the  letter  which  exposes  the 
real  character  of  Roman  refinement.  That  refinement 
was  godless ;  and  as  a  consequence  it  was  destitute  of 
the  moral  stamina  which  godliness  alone  can  furnish. 
"  When  they  knew  God  they  glorified  Him  not  as 
God,  neither  were  thankful,  but  became  vain  in  their 
imaginations,  and  their  foolish  heart  was  darkened ; 
professing  themselves  to  be  wise,  they  became  fools, 
and  changed  the  glory  of  the  incorruptible  God  into 
an  image  made  like'to  corruptible  man  and  to  birds, 
and  four-footed  beasts,  .and  creeping  things."  The 
sad  history  is  very  familiar ;  we  know  how  inefficient 
and  worthless  Roman  refinement  became ;  we  remem- 
ber how  the  high  offices  of  the  State  were  bought  and 
sold  ;  and  the  profligacy  of  Nero,  and  the  brutality  of 
Caligula,  can  never  be  forgotten.  Luxurious  living 
prepared  the  way  for  effeminacy,  and  effeminacy  was 
the  drunken  seamanship  which  drove  the  Empire 
upon  the  rocks.  "  The  Romans  ceased  to  believe," 
says  Mr.  Froude,  "  and  in  losing  their  faith,  they  be- 
came as  steel  becomes  when  it  is  demagnetized ;  the 
spiritual  quality  was  gone  out  of  them,  and  the  high 


Caesar,"  by  J.  A.  Froude. 


THE  EFFICIENC  Y  OF  REFINEMENT.        i  1 1 

society  of  Rome  itself  became  a  society  of  power- 
ful animals  with  an  enormous  appetite  for  pleasure. 
Wealth  poured  in  more  and  more,  and  luxury  grew 

more   unbounded Even   the   most   cultivated 

patricians  were  coarse  alike  in  their  habits  and  amuse- 
ments. They  cared  for  art  as  dilettanti,  but  no  schools, 
either  of  sculpture  or  painting,  were  formed  among 
themselves.  They  decorated  their  porticos  and  their 
saloons  with  the  plunder  of  the  East.  The  stage  was 
never  more  than  an  artificial  taste  with  them.  Their 
delight  was  the  delight  of  Barbarians,  in  spectacles, 
in  athletic  exercises,  in  horse  races  and  in  chariot 
races,  in  the  combats  of  wild  animals  in  the  circus, 
combats  of  men  with  beasts  on  choice  occasions, 
and,  as  a  rare  excitement,  in  fights  between  men  and 
men,  when  select  slaves,  trained  as  gladiators,  were 
matched  in  pairs  to  kill  each  other."*  And  this  was 
the  refinement  of  Rome,  then  the  proud  mistress  of 
the  world  !  Of  Rome,  then  attentive  to  the  eloquence 
of  a  Cicero !  Of  Rome,  then  acquainted  with  the 
poetry  of  a  Virgil  and  a  Horace !  Of  Rome,  then 
enthusiastic  over  the  victories  of  a  Pompey  and  a 
Caesar !  Of  Rome,  then  the  resort  of  scholars,  philos- 
ophers, and  artists !  As  we  look  upon  that  life,  even 
from  this  distant  land  and  time,  we  are  constrained 
to  adopt  the  language  of  the  Hebrew  Prophet,  and 


Caesar,"  by  J.  A.  Froude. 


1 1 2        THE  EFFICIENC  Y  OF  REFINEMENT. 

to  say :  "  The  whole  head  is  sick  and  the  whole  heart 
faint.  From  the  sole  of  the  foot  even  unto  the 
head,  there  is  no  soundness  in  it,  but  wounds  and 
bruises  and  putrifying  sores.  They  have  not  been 
closed,  neither  bound  up,  neither  mollified  with  oint- 
ment." 

And  what  was  true  of  Rome  was  true  also  of 
Greece,  of  Nineveh,  of  Babylon,  of  Egypt.  In  each 
of  these  civilizations  there  was  a  period  of  progress. 
Then  a  halt  was  called  ;  all  progress  was  arrested  ;  a 
decline  commenced  ;  ruin  was  witnessed.  The  refine- 
ment was  inefficient,  and  so  it  helped  on  the  destruc- 
tion. Roman  life  simply  repeated  the  experiences 
which  these  other  nations  had  known.  Education 
brought  the  ancients  up  to  a  certain  position,  but 
their  education  could  not  hold  them  there.  Some- 
thing was  lacking.  Education  failed  to  develop  moral 
qualities.  Yet  Christian  England  has  existed,  and 
has  flourished,  for  many  centuries,  and  the  evidences 
of  her  decay  are  not  apparent  while  she  is  loyal  to 
the  lessons  of  her  history. 

Do  we  appreciate  the  importance  of  these  moral 
qualities  ?  Or  are  we  anxious  to  secure  an  external 
refinement  at  any  cost  without  regard  to  the  real 
quality  thereof ?  Alas!  my  friends,  I  fear  that  such 
is  the  ca:e.  Too  little  attention  is  paid  to  the  grand 
moral  qualities  which  make  the  highest  refinement 
efficient.    Too  seldom  do  we  emphasize  the  necessity 


THE  EFFICIENCY  OF  REFINEMENT.        \  \  3 

of  God's  presence  in  our  education,  of  God's  Word  in 
our  plans  of  instruction.  But  God  alone  can  furnish 
those  sturdy,  moral  qualities  which  refinement  needs  ; 
and  His  Word  is  a  Book  which  contains  the  precepts 
whose  guidance  secures  efficiency.  At  the  Wyclif 
celebration,  the  last  winter,  a  prominent  lawyer  closed 
his  address  with  the  familiar  quotation  from  Burke, 
"  Education  is  the  cheap  defence  of  nations,"  and 
with  these  words  of  his  own  :  "  He  would  have  added, 
had  his  theme  permitted,  Bible  education  is  the  only 
secure  basis  for  freedom,  civilization,  and  progress." 

The  moral  qualities  which  give  efficiency  to  refine- 
ment are  associated  with  a  consciousness  of  the  evils  of 
sin,  a  sense  of  dependence  upon  God,  a  conviction  of  the 
nobility  of  service. 

It  seems,  perhaps,  a  strange  thing  to  say,  that  man 
must  be  treated  as  a  sinner  if  his  refinement  is  to  be 
permanent  and  useful.  I  am  aware  that  the  fact  of 
sin  is  often  disregarded ;  yet  the  fact  remains,  and  its 
influence  conditions  human  life.  The  denial  of  a  fact 
does  not  destroy  the  fact.  You  may  hear  the  leper's 
denial  of  the  taint  that  is  in  the  blood  of  his  fair- 
faced  child ;  you  may  hear  the  workman's  denial  of 
the  danger  that  is  associated  with  the  handling  of 
nitro-glycerine  ;  you  may  hear  the  profligate's  denial 
of  the  wickedness  that  debases  his  life.  Denial  never 
destroys  a  fact.  Facts  are  stubborn  things.  And 
there  is  no  fact  which  is  more  apparent  than  this  ter- 


U4 


THE  EFFICIENCY  OF  REFINEMENT. 


rible  fact  of  sin.  Man  is  not  innocent.  Innocence 
never  would  have  written  the  history  of  the  world, 
as  events  have  written  it,  with  a  pen  of  iron  and  with 
ink  of  blood.  Sin  meets  us  everywhere — in  the  house- 
hold, on  the  exchange,  in  the  senate  chamber,  on  the 
farm,  in  the  camp,  on  the  battle-field. 

And  sin  must  be  considered,  if  the  interests  of 
humanity  are  to  be  considered.  The  problem  of  edu- 
cation has  this  disturbing  element.  Many  of  the  an- 
cients realized  this.  Socrates  appreciated  it.  Seneca 
understood  it.  The  confusion  and  misery  of  life 
were  sad  facts  to  them.  They  tried  to  discover  some 
method  of  redemption,  by  means  of  which  prosperity 
and  happiness  might  be  secured.  But  they  failed. 
For  redemption  can  only  be  provided  by  God.  In 
the  gift  of  His  Son,  our  Saviour,  Jesus  Christ,  God 
has  made  such  provision.  Thus  sin  may  be  pardoned  ; 
a  holy  life  is  a  possibility ;  friendship  with  God  be- 
comes the  joy  of  a  faithful  heart. 

But  this  relation  introduces  a  sincere  and  affection- 
ate dependence.  Responsibility  to  an  infinite  Being 
is  appreciated.  "  Thou,  God,  seest  me,"  becomes  a 
restraint  and  an  encouragement, — a  restraint  when 
temptation  is  near;  an  encouragement  when  hope  is 
feeble.  The  consciousness  is  formed  that  life  and  its 
service  may  be  given  to  God.  Spirituality  is  de- 
veloped by  prayer,  and  spirituality  is  the  salt  of  re- 
finement. 


THE  EFFICIENCY  OF  REFINEMENT.        1 1 5 

Then  the  nobility  of  service  is  recognized.  Noth- 
ing is  too  good  for  service.  The  grandest  use  of  life 
is  service.  "  Beautiful,"  says  Jean  Paul,  in  a  brilliant 
passage,  "beautiful  is  the  eagle,  as  he  soars  above 
the  clouds  and  bathes  himself  in  the  clear  sunlight  ! 
But  how  much  more  beautiful  when  he  visits  his 
eaglets  in  the  clefts  of  the  rocks,  bearing  to  them 
their  daily  food  ! "  Can  we  know  this  in  practical 
life?  And  how?  Is  it  an  instinct?  Does  education 
always  teach  it  ?  Shall  we  find  that  it  is  inseparably 
connected  with  refinement?  Look  around  you  for 
your  answers  to  questions  such  as  these !  How  many 
of  the  men  and  women  who  are  cultured  in  the  best 
culture  of  our  schools,  are  doing  anything  to  benefit 
the  world?  How  often  is  it  true  that  refinement  is 
so  inefficient  that  it  becomes  almost  contemptible  ! 
Life  is  wasted  in  having  a  good  time.  Days  and 
weeks  and  months  are  passed  in  receiving  pleasure, 
not  in  giving  help.  The  pound  is  kept  in  a  napkin. 
Occasionally  it  is  brought  out  for  inspection  by  a  few 
admiring  friends.  But  service,  real  service,  is  never 
suggested.  Club  life  for  men,  parlor  life  for  women, 
are  the  ruin  of  our  youth.  There  seems  to  be  a  sad 
lack  of  ambition  where  there  is  this  willingness  to 
live  without  a  purpose,  and  to  die  without  accom- 
plishing anything. 

Some  time  ago,  as  I  learn  from  my  reading,*  the 

*  "  Duty,"  by  Samuel  Smiles. 


1 1 6        THE  EFFICIENC  Y  OF  REFINEMENT. 

Bishop  of  Manchester  received  a  letter  from  a  young 
lady,  who  excused  herself  from  Christian  work  on  the 
plea  that  she  had  no  time.  In  the  letter,  the  follow 
ing  account  of  her  daily  life  was  given :  "  We  break* 
fast  at  ten.  Breakfast  occupies  the  best  part  of  an 
hour,  during  which  we  read  our  letters,  and  pick  up 
society  news  in  the  papers.  After  that  we  have  to 
go  and  answer  our  letters,  and  my  mother  expects 
me  to  write  her  notes  of  invitation,  or  to  reply  to 
such.  Then  I  have  to  go  into  the  conservatory  and 
feed  the  canaries  and  parrots,  and  cut  off  the  faded 
flowers  and  the  dead  leaves  from  the  plants.  Then 
it  is  time  to  dress  for  lunch,  and  at  two  o'clock  we 
lunch.  At  three  my  mother  likes  me  to  go  with  her 
when  she  makes  her  calls,  and  we  then  come  home 
to  a  five  o'clock  tea,  when  some  friends  drop  in. 
After  that  we  get  ready  to  take  our  drive  in  the  park, 
and  then  we  go  home  to  dinner ;  and  after  dinner  we 
go  to  the  theatre  or  opera,  and  then,  when  we  get 
home,  I  am  so  dreadfully  tired  that  I  do  not  know 
what  to  do."  And  is  that  a  refined  woman's  life  in 
England  ?  Is  it  possible  that  a  woman  of  refinement, 
there  or  here,  is  willing  to  go  through  life,  as  the  bird 
cleaves  the  air,  with  no  mark  whatever  left  behind  ? 
If  so,  our  refinement  is  doomed,  for  such  inefficiency 
is  only  the  repetition  of  Roman  negligence  and  in- 
temperance, whose  destruction  came  so  rapidly. 
What   refinement  needs  is  an   authoritative  word 


THE  EFFICIENCY  OF  REFINEMENT.        1 1 7 

and  a  perfect  lrfe ;  a  word  which  announces  the  no- 
bility of  service,  and  a  life  which  shall  go  about  upon 
errands  of  mercy.  Refinement  must  understand  that 
God  can  use  the  intelligence  of  His  creatures,  and  that 
the  most  refined  life  ever  known  was  freely  given  for 
the  salvation  of  the  world. 

I  have  spoken  of  a  woman's  life  in  England,  and 
have  endeavored  to  point  out  the  error  of  a  frivolous 
employment  of  sacred  opportunities.  Let  me  bring 
you  now  another  phase  of  life,  so  much  more  com- 
mendable. Kinglake,  in  his  last  volume  upon  the 
Crimean  war,  refers  with  intense  admiration  to  "  the 
priceless  reinforcement  of  brain  power  that  was 
brought  to  the  rescue  by  woman  "  during  the  winter 
of  1854.  Among  the  women  who  went  to  the  hos- 
pitals of  the  Bosphorus  was  Mary  Stanley,  the  daugh- 
ter of  the  late  Bishop  of  Norwich,  and  the  sister  of 
the  present  Dean  of  Westminster.  She  had  the  ad- 
vantages of  high  social  rank,  of  education  in  the  best 
schools,  and  of  foreign  travel.  Yet  her  refinement 
was  singularly  efficient.  "  Having  long  served  as  the 
very  right  hand  of  her  father  in  bringing  to  bear  his 
larger  measures  for  the  good  of  the  poor,  she  soon 
disclosed  great  capacity  for  both  organizing  and  trans- 
acting executive  work,  whilst  also,  in  her  own  gentle 
way,  she  knew  how  to  rule."  That  beautiful  life,  so 
rich  in  its  capabilities,  was  given  to  the  soldiers  of 
the  British  army  ;  and  not  one  of  its  many  graces  was 
useless,  because  the  refinement  was  genuine. 


1 1 8        THE  EFFICIENC  Y  OF  REFINEMENT. 

Doubtless  many  of  you  have  read  the  exquisite  de* 
lineation  of  home  life  which  the  Archbishop  of  Can- 
terbury penned,  when  he  sketched  the  life  of  Catha- 
rine Tait.*  There  is  another  illustration  of  the 
possibility  of  refinement  and  efficiency  going  hand 
in  hand,  without  departing  in  the  least  from  the 
modest  order  of  a  woman's  round  of  duties.  Mrs. 
Tait  made  her  Christian  influence  felt  in  every  circle 
which  she  entered.  In  her  own  home  she  was  a  true 
wife  and  a  devoted  mother,  and  in  the  Church  of  God 
she  was  not  only  a  sincere  worshipper,  but  also  an 
earnest  worker. 

Perhaps,  too,  you  may  have  formed  something  of 
an  acquaintance  with  Frances  Ridley  Havergal,f 
another  devoted  woman.  Her  gifts — and  they  were 
numerous — were  consecrated  to  the  service  of  her 
King.  She  had  in  Christian  service  the  spirit  of 
mediaeval  chivalry.  Intense  loyalty  ruled  her.  Her 
musical  ability,  "  and  she  was  able  to  play  through 
Handel,  much  of  Beethoven  and  Mendelssohn  with- 
out any  notes,"  was  wholly  dedicated  to  Christ. 

"  Take  my  lips,  and  let  me  sing, 
Always,  only,  for  my  King," 

was   her  prayer.     Every  one  loved   her.     Her  very 
presence  was  a  benediction. 


*  Catharine  and  Craufurd  Tait. 

t "  Memorials  of  Frances  Ridley  Havergal.' 


THE  EFFICIENCY  OF  REFINEMENT.       i  ig 

Now  you  may  not  be  called,  as  these  women  were, 
to  just  such  work  as  they  performed  ;  but  there  is 
other  work,  and  plenty  of  it,  and  to  that  work  you 
are  surely  called.  God  has  a  place  for  each  one  of 
you.  These  voices,  which  have  been  trained  to  such 
perfection  ;  these  fingers,  which  can  play  skilfully 
upon  stringed  instruments ;  these  lips,  which  can 
speak  in  many  languages ;  these  intellects,  which  are 
so  stored  with  knowledge — these  are  for  service.  Are 
they  not  ?  Answer  then,  each  one,  the  call  divine, 
"  Here  am  I,  send  me  !  " 

The  moral  qualities  which  are  essential  to  refine- 
ment are  provided  by  Christ  in  order  that  He  may 
control  education.  He  came  as  a  light  into  this  dark 
world.  Upon  the  problems  of  sin  and  salvation  He 
shed  the  light  of  Heaven.  No  wisdom  can  compare 
with  His.  He  looked  fairly  at  sin,  and  described  it 
as  it  really  is.  He  traced  its  history.  He  discovered 
its  origin.  He  announced  its  inevitable  end.  We 
may  apologize  for  sin,  but  Christ  never  did.  We  may 
make  light  of  sin,  but  Christ  knew  too  much  to  do 
so.  Sin,  as  He  understood  it,  is  exceeding  sinful. 
There  is  a  corruption  about  it  which  only  divine 
power  can  cleanse.  In  its  nature  it  is  deadly.  Unless 
relief  is  afforded,  the  sinner  must  die. 

And  relief  is  afforded  by  the  grace  of  God  in  Jesus 
Christ.  He  has  secured  redemption.  He  is  the 
mediator.     Altars  are  no  longer  necessary,  and  priests 


1 20        THE  EFFICIENCY  OF  REFINEMENT, 

may  be  dismissed,  and  sacrifices  have  ceased  to  have 
any  meaning  ;  for  Christ  Jesus  is  forever  altar,  priest, 
and  sacrifice. 

This  great  fact  is  the  basis  of  Christian  morality. 
Education  has  always  accompanied  this  preaching  of 
the  Gospel.  Martin  Luther  heralded  modern  educa- 
tion when  he  emphasized  the  doctrine  of  justification 
by  faith.  For  that  doctrine  places  a  high  estimate 
upon  the  individual,  as  it  promises  acceptance  by  God 
for  the  sake  of  Christ  the  Son.  It  has  unchained  and 
opened  the  Bible,  and  offered  it,  thus  free  and  open, 
to  the  multitude  ;  and  a  free  Bible  and  a  free  school 
will  always  be  found  in  the  same  place. 

Besides,  through  Christ  God  is  known.  He  is  the 
revelation  of  God.  In  Him  the  glory  of  God  appears. 
And  what  a  strangely  wonderful  glory  that  is  !  How 
unlike  the  conceptions  of  men  !  How  sublime  !  How 
condescending !  "  God  is  a  Spirit,  and  they  that 
worship  Him  must  worship  Him  in  spirit  and  in 
truth."  No  idol  form  can  represent  Him.  No  myth- 
ological conceit  can  portray  His  excellence.  He  is 
not  like  Jupiter,  nor  does  He  resemble  Minerva.  But 
purity  and  love  are  His  in  absolute  perfection,  for  He 
is  as  Jesus  was  while  here  upon  the  earth.  We  do 
not  fear  Him,  and  yet  we  do  Him  homage.  We  do 
not  shrink  from  Him  because  He  calls  us  to  Himself. 
He  is  our  dependence.  We  love  to  do  as  He  directs 
us  to  do.     His  approval  is  our  comfort  ;  His  friend- 


THE  EFFICIENC  Y  OF  REFINEMENT.       \  2 1 

ship#is  our  joy.  When  we  are  conscious  of  any  need, 
we  turn  to  Him  in  prayer ;  when  we  are  blessed  with 
any  blessing,  we  express  to  Him  our  thanks.  Thus 
He  is  our  spirituality,  for  spirituality  never  fails  to 
appear  when  one  is  walking  with  his  God. 

Then,  too,  Christ  speaks  of  service,  and  also  illus- 
trates service.  He  tells  us  what  to  do,  and  why  we 
should  do  it.  "  The  servant  is  not  greater  than  his 
Lord ;  neither  He  that  is  sent  greater  than  He  that 
sent  Him."  If  the  "only  begotten  Son,  who  is  in 
the  bosom  of  the  Father,"  was  ready  to  give  Himself, 
what  is  my  life  that  I  should  withhold  it  ?  If  the 
well  Beloved,  who  was  "  the  brightness  of  the  Father's 
glory  and  the  express  image  of  His  person,"  was  will- 
ing to  touch  the  leper's  sore,  to  become  the  friend 
of  publicans  and  sinners,  to  endure  reproach,  to  be 
covered  with  the  dust  of  an  unbelieving  city,  to  be 
crowned  with  a  crown  of  thorns,  to  be  scourged  by 
common  soldiers,  then  who  am  I,  what  is  my  refine- 
ment, that  I  should  hesitate  to  give  myself,  that  I 
should  shrink  from  offering  the  little  refinement  that 
I  possess,  to  my  fellow-men  ?  Thus  "  the  love  of 
Christ  constraineth  us,  because  we  thus  judge,  that  if 
one  died  for  all,  then  were  all  dead,  and  that  He  died 
for  all,  that  they  which  live  should  not  henceforth 
live  unto  themselves,  but  unto  Him  which  died  for 
them,  and  rose  again."  Now  the  springs  of  Chris- 
tian activity  are  touched.  "  For  Jesus'  sake  "  is  the 
6 


I22        THE  EFFICIENCY  OF  REFINEMENT. 

motive  which  thrills  many  a  heart.  "  What  wilt  Thou 
have  me  to  do  ?  "  is  the  question  which  is  heard  on 
every  hand.  "  Where  is  there  work  for  the  Master?" 
is  the  inquiry  of  all  disciples. 

I  can  discover  no  limitation  to  Christian  refinement. 
Whatever  is  a  proper  study  for  man  is  a  proper  study 
for  a  Christian  man.  Art  in  its  purity ;  science  in  its 
profound  investigations ;  literature  in  its  companion- 
ship with  many  noble  minds ;  commerce  in  its  ex- 
changes ;  society  in  its  friendly  intercourse — these  ad- 
vantages are  as  much  to  the  Christian  as  to  any  one 
else.  The  hand  of  Christ  rests  upon  all  truth  and 
beauty  and  power.  They  are  His.  He  claims  them. 
They  are  to  be  employed  in  the  ministry  which  He 
directs. 

The  applications  of  this  subject,  my  friends,  are 
evident.  If  I  read  the  signs  of  the  times  aright,  this 
eagerness  for  refinement  has  taken  strong  hold  upon 
us.  We  appreciate  the  importance  of  education.  We 
are  proud  of  our  advantages.  But  are  we  not  in  dan- 
ger of  forgetting  that  education  needs  the  moral  con- 
trol which  Christ  can  give  ?  Do  we  not  sometimes 
leave  out  the  word  Christian  when  we  speak  of  edu- 
cation? If  we  do,  we  err.  Our  education  finds  its 
peril  right  here.  The  conditions  of  life  are  such,  with 
our  rapid  increase  of  wealth  and  our  magnificent  re- 
sources, that  a  materialistic  refinement  can  easily  be 
developed.     Then  "  farewell  "  to  the  republic  and  its 


THE  EFFICIENCY  OF  REFINEMENT. 


123 


civilization.  The  old  story  will  be  written  out  once 
more.  Education  led  to  refinement,  and  refinement 
led  to  effeminacy,  and  effeminacy  led  to  sensuality, 
and  sensuality  is  death.  It  may  not  come  in  this 
generation — a  catastrophe  so  melancholy — probably 
it  will  not.  But  that  it  will  come,  I  am  persuaded,  if 
Christ  is  refused  that  place  in  our  refinement  which 
is  the  guarantee  of  efficiency. 

Therefore,  bring  Him  into  your  life.  Settle  the 
question  of  your  relation  to  God.  Accept  the  justifi- 
cation which  is  offered  you.  Become  a  new  creature 
in  Christ  Jesus.  Live  with  the  understanding  that 
God's  eye  is  upon  you.  Ask  Him  to  guide  you  every 
day  and  every  hour.  "  Seek  those  things  which  are 
above,  where  Christ  sitteth  at  the  right  hand  of 
God."  Learn  the  lesson  of  self-sacrifice.  Know 
that  you  can  not  be  too  wise,  too  gentle,  too  pure, 
too  refined  for  God's  work.  Look  about  you,  and 
see  what  you  can  do.  Hear  the  cries  of  sorrow  which 
come  up  from  many  hearts.  No  place  for  you,  a 
Christian  woman !  No  work  for  you,  with  your  re- 
finement !  Condemned  to  uselessness,  because  you 
are  without  a  vocation !  Ah  !  my  friends,  ten  thou- 
sand of  the  brightest  minds  are  wanted,  at  this  very 
hour,  to  consider,  to  solve,  and  to  explain  the  ques- 
tions which  are  pressing  us!  What  of  these  class  dis- 
tinctions? What  of  the  rewards  of  labor?  What  of 
woman's    sphere?     What    of   the    administration    of 


124        THE  EFFICIENCY  OF  REFINEMENT. 

charity?  What  of  the  relief  of  suffering?  What  of 
the  methods  of  evangelization?  Some  one  must  tell 
us,  and  common,  unrefined  minds  can  not. 

Our  sons  should  be  like  well-grown  plants,  and  our 
daughters  like  sculptured  pillars.  Man's  work  is  not 
woman's  work,  and  woman's  work  is  not  man's  work ; 
but  both  are  Christ's.  Some  things  can  be  better 
done  by  men  than  by  women,  and  some  things  can  be 
better  done  by  women  than  by  men.  There  is  wis- 
dom in  a  division  of  labor.  It  may  not  be  best  for  a 
woman  to  cast  a  vote  at  the  polls.  Many  excellent 
women  shrink  from  such  publicity.  But  it  is  best 
that  woman's  influence  should  have  much  to  do 
in  making  that  vote,  by  determining  its  character. 
When  war  was  devastating  our  land,  women  did  not 
march  in  the  ranks  of  the  regiments,  nor  did  they 
handle  the  musket  upon  the  battle-field;  yet  what  an 
element  of  strength,  of  high  courage,  of  holy  patriot- 
ism was  given  to  the  war  by  the  devotion  of  many 
women !  Let  us  believe  this.  We  must  make  our 
refinement  Christlike  in  order  that  it  may  be  efficient. 

Of  the  youth  of  Great  Britain,  Mr.  Ruskin  was 
speaking,  when  he  said :  "  We  have  to  turn  their 
courage  from  the  toils  of  war  to  the  toils  of  mercy; 
and  their  intellect  from  the  dispute  of  words  to  dis- 
cernment of  things ;  and  their  knighthood  from  the 
errantry  of  adventure  to  the  state  and  fidelity  of  a 
kingly  power.      And   then,    indeed,  shall   abide   for 


THE  EFFICIENC  Y  OF  REFINEMENT.       \  2  5 

them,  and  for  us,  an  incorruptible  felicity,  and  an 
infallible  religion ;  shall  abide  for  us  faith  no  more  to 
be  assailed  by  temptation,  no  more  to  be  defended 
by  wrath  and  by  fear ;  shall  abide  with  us  hope  no 
more  to  be  quenched  by  the  years  that  overwhelm, 
or  made  ashamed  by  the  shadows  that  betray ;  shall 
abide  for  us,  and  with  us,  the  greatest  of  these,  the 
abiding  will,  the  abiding  name  of  the  Father,  for  the 
greatest  of  these  is  charity."  * 

True  of  the  youth  of  Great  Britain,  these  words 
are  also  true  of  the  youth  of  America.  God  help 
you,  my  friends,  to  carry  your  refinement  into  many 
homes,  into  many  churches,  into  many  towns  and 
cities,  as  the  efficiency  of  true  Christian  womanhood ! 


*  "  The  Mystery  of  Life,"  by  John  Ruskin. 


VII. 

THE   QUESTION   OF   MORDECAI. 

"  And  who  knoweth  whether  thou  art  come  to  the 
kingdo?n  for  such  a  ti7ne  as  thz's?" — Esth, 
iv.  14. 

With  this  question,  Mordecai  endeavors  to  break 
up  the  indecision  of  Esther.  The  fair  young  queen 
is  in  great  distress.  Haman's  conspiracy  has  ripened. 
From  the  palace  a  decree  has  gone  forth  which  means 
the  extermination  of  the  Jews.  Prompt  action  is  a 
necessity.  Esther  alone  can  hope  to  influence  the 
king.  Mordecai  is  her  counsellor.  She  has  sent  one 
of  her  attendants  to  ask  his  advice,  and  has  just 
returned  her  objections  to  his  plan.  For  he  has 
urged  her  to  make  a  direct  appeal  to  the  king,  by 
presenting  herself  at  the  door  of  the  audience-cham- 
ber. Such  a  step  can  only  be  taken  at  the  peril  of 
her  life.  For  if  she  is  not  then  made  welcome,  she 
must  be  put  to  death. 

While   Esther   is   hesitating,  Mordecai    sends    her 

this  question,  which  acts  as  a  spur  to  her  courage. 

It   is  an  appeal  to  the  best  elements  of  her  truly 

heroic  nature.     Duty  is  made  prominent  by  it.     A 
(126) 


THE  QUESTION  OF  MO  RD  EC  AT.  127 


v 


signal  opportunity  of  service  is  presented.  The  divine 
purpose  of  her  life  is  delicately  suggested.  The  ques- 
tion covers  Mordecai's  belief.  He  evidently  cherishes 
the  conviction  that  Esther  has  been  selected  by  God 
to  secure  the  deliverance  of  his  countrymen.  He  can 
not  believe  that  the  wickedness  of  Haman  is  to 
triumph  over  the  promises  which  have  written  much 
of  the  unaccomplished  history  of  the  Jews.  He  is  a 
man  of  large  faith.  The  destiny  of  the  chosen  people 
is  in  God's  hands.  From  some  quarter,  help  will 
surely  come.  But  is  not  Esther  to  bring  it  ?  Is 
she  not  "  the  anointed  of  the  Lord  "  for  this  emer- 
gency ?  He  believes  that  she  is ;  and  he  wishes 
her  to  go  forward  boldly  that  she  may  discover  her 
proper  relation  to  God's  work. 

The  question  accomplishes  its  purpose.  Esther 
dismisses  her  fears.  A  noble  resolution  is  formed. 
After  a  brief  season  of  prayer,  in  which  all  the  Jews 
of  Shushan  unite,  the  queen  makes  her  way  into  the 
royal  presence.  Her  request  is  heard.  A  new  decree 
is  issued.  The  Jews  in  the  provinces  are  encouraged. 
The  day  which  had  been  appointed  for  their  exter- 
mination witnesses  their  triumph.  No  enemy  can 
withstand  them.  Haman  and  his  sons  are  destroyed ; 
while  Mordecai  becomes  the  favorite  of  the  king. 

As  we  accompany  Hatach,  the  chamberlain,  who 
is  bearing  Mordecai's  question  to  Esther,  we  can 
hardly  fail  to   realize  that  this  is  Mordecai's  recog- 


123  THE  QUESTION  OF  MORDECAI. 

nition  of  the  providential  significance  of  Esther's  life. 
With  what  skill  does  that  great  man  put  the  ques- 
tion !  He  does  not  use  God's  name — indeed  the 
name  of  God  is  not  used  in  the  Book  of  Esther — and 
yet  his  thought  is  all  of  God.  He  is  a  splendid  ex- 
ample of  a  God-fearing  man,  whose  reverential  esti- 
mate of  the  divine  interest  and  care  is  the  deep, 
strong  current  of  the  soul.  The  Gulf  Stream  does 
not  babble  like  the  shallow  brook  of  the  pasture-field. 
It  is  silent  as  it  sweeps  by  the  shores  of  great  con- 
tinents, imparting  life  and  fertility  by  its  warmth. 
There  is  an  easy  familiarity  in  the  use  of  God's  name, 
which  passes  for  pure  religion,  while  it  is  not  to  be 
mentioned  with  the  speech  whose  every  utterance  is 
an  expression  of  dependence  upon  a  Higher  Power. 
"Not  every  one,"  remarks  Jesus,  "that  saith  unto 
me,  Lord,  Lord,  shall  enter  into  the  kingdom  of 
Heaven ;  but  he  that  doeth  the  will  of  my  Father 
which  is  in  Heaven."  We  need  to  cultivate  this  deep 
sense  of  God's  presence ;  and,  in  so  doing,  to  re- 
member that  even  the  common  lives,  the  uneventful 
lives,  are  providential.  It  is  easy  to  form  the  habit 
of  saying,  "  Lord,  Lord  ";  but  it  is  not  so  easy  to 
bring  God  into  direct  contact  with  every  thought  and 
every  emotion.  Yet  this  is  His  true  place.  He  made 
us  for  Himself.  He  wishes  that  each  one  of  us  should 
be  the  habitation  of  God  through  the  Spirit. 

For  this  reason,  an  especial  value  may  be  found 


THE  QUESTION  OF  MORDECAI.  129 

in  the  Book  of  Esther.  It  has  always  had  a  place  in 
the  sacred  canon.  The  Bible  would  be  incomplete 
without  it.  Its  interesting  records  span  a  gulf  which 
we  could  not  afford  to  leave  without  a  bridge.  "  It 
is  necessary,"  says  Dean  Stanley,  "that  in  the  rest 
of  the  sacred  volume  the  name  of  God  should  con- 
stantly be  brought  before  us  to  show  that  He  is  all 
in  all  to  our  moral  perfection.  But  it  is  expedient 
for  us  no  less  that  there  should  be  one  Book  which 
omits  it  altogether  to  prevent  us  from  attaching  to 
the  mere  name  a  reverence  which  belongs  only  to  the 
reality.  In  the  mind  of  the  sacred  writer,  the  mere 
accidents,  as  they  might  seem,  of  the  quarrel  of 
Ahasuerus,  the  sleepless  night,  the  delay  of  the  lot 
worked  out  the  Divine  will  as  completely  as  the 
parting  of  the  Red  Sea,  or  the  thunders  of  Sinai. 
The  story  of  Esther  is  not  only  a  material  for  the 
noblest  and  grandest  of  meditations,  but  a  token 
that  in  the  daily  events,  the  unforeseen  chances  of 
life,  in  little  unnumbered  acts,  in  the  fall  of  a  sparrow, 
in  the  earth  bringing  forth  fruit  of  herself,  God  is 
present.  The  name  of  God  is  not  there,  but  the 
work  of  God  is."*  We  read  this  ancient  history  in 
the  light  of  related  events,  which  bring  out  into 
clear  prominence  the  operative  causes ;  and  then  we 
forget  that  present  events,  with  which  we  have  to  do, 


*  "Jewish  Church,"  Vol.  III.,  p.  201. 
6* 


130  THE  QUESTION  OF  MORDECAI. 

must  also  be  operative.  The  good  friends  who 
watched  over  the  infant  life  of  Esther  could  not 
have  forecast  her  wonderful  career.  She  was  the 
child  of  the  exile,  born  in  Babylon,  and  very  soon 
left  to  the  protection  of  her  cousin  Mordecai.  He 
received  her  to  his  home  as  a  daughter,  and  educated 
her  with  care.  From  his  position  in  the  palace, 
Mordecai  became  acquainted  with  the  king's  purpose 
to  select  a  new  wife  in  the  place  of  the  rejected 
Vashti ;  and  he  was  also  able  to  present  Esther  to 
the  king,  who  accepted  her  as  his  queen.  Then  it 
came  to  pass  that  Mordecai,  through  Esther,  gave  in- 
formation of  a  conspiracy  which  was  directed  against 
Ahasuerus  himself.  Afterward  Haman  gained  un- 
usual influence,  and  rose  rapidly  in  the  royal  favor 
until  he  had  surpassed  all  the  princes  of  the  realm. 
The  one  object  of  his  hatred  was  Mordecai,  who 
refused  to  do  him  homage.  To  destroy  Mordecai, 
this  wretched  man  undertook  the  destruction  of  all 
the  Jews.  The  hands  upon  the  dial  of  providence 
had  reached  the  appointed  hour.  The  significance  of 
the  life  of  a  simple  Jewish  girl  is  about  to  be  dis- 
covered. With  high  courage  Esther  ventures  into 
the  inner  court,  where  all  persons  are  required  to  fall 
on  their  faces  and  to  cover  their  hands  in  the  folds  of 
their  sleeves,  and  where  executioners  with  axes  stand 
ready  to  behead  any  intruder.  Her  first  request  is 
heard.     A    sleepless    night    brings   the    attention    of 


THE  Q  UES  TION  OF  MO  R  DEC  A  I.  1 3 1 

Ahasuerus  to  the  records,  which  mention  the  im- 
portant service  of  Mordecai.  At  her  banquet,  Esther 
acquaints  the  king  with  the  plans  of  Haman ;  and 
then  she  receives  the  assurance  of  deliverance,  which 
the  king's  decree  quickly  announces  to  all  the  prov- 
inces. 

Now  all  this  history  is  providential ;  not  the  con- 
clusion alone,  because  the  conclusion  is  dependent 
upon  the  beginning,  but  the  entire  history.  From 
first  to  last  there  is  a  steady  uniolding  of  the  purpose 
of  God.  Yet  the  purpose  is  not  evident  until  the  un- 
folding is  complete.  We  can  not  discover  it  in  the 
cradle  of  Esther,  nor  is  it  plain  when  she  is  left  an  or- 
phan ;  we  do  not  understand  it  when  she  enters  the 
palace,  nor  even  when  she  starts  out  upon  her  import- 
ant mission.  We  must  wait.  The  entire  life  must  be 
before  us.     Then  its  significance  is  clear. 

I  have  not  learned  that  there  is  any  standard  water- 
mark of  Providence,  any  gauge  which  must  measure 
the  stature  of  a  life  before  it  can  become  providential, 
any  distinct  limit  which  must  be  reached  in  order  to 
secure  God's  presence.  We  may  think  that  our  lives 
are  not  providential  because  they  are  commonplace ; 
and  yet  what  right  have  we  to  think  so  ?  Has  the 
commonplace  nothing  to  do  with  Providence?  Is 
the  present  time — so  uneventful — a  time  to  be  disre- 
garded ?  Is  the  present  opportunity — so  trivial,  ap- 
parently— an  opportunity  to  be  neglected?     It  may 


132  THE  QUESTION  OF  MORDECAL 

be,  forsooth,  like  the  cradle  days  of  Esther.  Who 
knows?  Who  can  tell  what  great  events  may  hang 
upon  a  kind  word  to  a  poor  boy,  upon  the  routine 
fidelity  of  a  clerk,  upon  the  turning  to  the  right  hand 
or  to  the  left?  You  may  stop  any  mature  person 
with  a  question  as  to  the  providential  significance  of 
an  ordinary  action,  and  you  may  receive  an  indiffer- 
ent reply  ;  but  you  can  hardly  look  for  an  indifferent 
reply  if  your  question  covers  a  number  of  years  and 
the  actions  of  a  lifetime.  Yet  the  many  years  and 
the  many  actions  are  but  multiples  of  one.  "  Thou 
shalt  know  hereafter."  God  is  not  indifferent  to  the 
least  any  more  than  He  is  to  the  greatest.  The  star- 
dust  of  the  firmament  has  its  place  just  as  the  great 
planets  do.  "  He  telleth  the  number  of  the  stars ; 
he  calleth  them  all  by  their  names."  But  then  He 
also  "  healeth  the  broken  in  heart,  and  bindeth  up 
their  wounds."  Nothing  can  escape  God's  notice. 
No  interest  is  outside  of  His  domain.  We  can  not 
tell.  Our  judgment  is  fallible.  Our  trivial  things  are 
often  God's  great  things.  The  eyes  of  the  world 
were  once  fixed  upon  Rome  where  Augustus  held  his 
splendid  court,  while  the  eye  of  God  was  observant 
of  a  stable  in  Bethlehem,  where  a  peasant  and  his 
wife  were  watching  beside  a  little  homeless  babe. 
We  can  not  assay  passing  events  so  as  to  stamp  them 
at  their  true  value.  We  must  wait.  To  do  with  our 
might  whatsoever  our  hands  find  to  do,  is  the  true 


THE  Q  UES  TION  OF  MORDECAL  \  3  3 

governing  purpose,  and  to  bring  God  consciously  into 
all  activity  so  that  we  may  serve  Him 

"  In  the  trivial  round,  the  common  task  " 

is  the  happy  discovery  of  life's  best  secret.  We  shall  be 
called  to  higher  service  if  we  approve  ourselves  in  the 
lower.  The  end  is  not  yet.  There  are  men  and 
women — not  a  few — who  will  go  up  to  God  in  Heaven 
from  the  humility  of  earth's  menial  occupations  to 
undertake  the  work  of  saints  around  the  throne. 
There  is  another  side  to  the  curtain.  Within  the 
veil  the  providences  of  the  present  will  open  grandly 
to  exhibit  their  meaning.  Let  us  then,  dear  friends, 
be  hopeful.  Not  a  sparrow  falls  to  the  ground  with- 
out our  Father.  The  day  is  advancing  ;  our  toil  will 
soon  come  to  an  end ;  misunderstandings  will  be 
clarified ;  hardships  will  be  of  the  past  ;  sufferings 
will  cease.  When  the  Lord  answered  Job  out  of  the 
whirlwind,  the  patriarch  began  to  interpret  the  mys- 
teries of  his  life.  We  may  think  God  out  of  our  thought, 
but  we  can  not  put  God  away  from  us.  There  is 
love  in  the  Father's  heart,  even  when  the  prodigal  is 
rioting  in  the  far  country.  No  day  passes  without  a 
prayer  for  the  absent  boy ;  no  day  without  a  wistful 
look  down  the  road.  God  will  not  forget  us.  There 
are  invisible  cords  which  bind  us  to  Him.  Oh  !  let 
us  be  responsive!  Oh  !  let  us  be  more  glad  of  His 
leadership  !  Oh  !  let  us  observe  even  the  commas  and 


I34  THE  QUESTION  OF  MORDECAI. 

the  semicolons  on  the  page  of  Providence !  Some  one 
has  said  that  M  learning  rightly  apprehended  is  not 
mere  passive  reception,  as  of  water  into  a  cistern, 
bringing  with  it  all  the  accidents  and  impurities  of 
roof  or  aqueduct.  It  is  water  in  oak  or  elm,  making 
its  way  up  through  living  tissue,  filtered  as  it  ascends, 
shaking  out  its  leafy  banner,  hardening  into  toughest 
fibre."  How  true  of  our  knowledge  of  God  !  What 
a  grand  thing  it  is  thus  to  learn  our  divine  lesson,  and 
become  "  filled  with  all  the  fulness  of  God  ! " 

The  question  of  Mordecai  calls  attention  to  the 
fact  that  emergencies  seldom  fail  to  test  the  qual- 
ity of  character.  In  the  crisis  of  her  life,  Esther  ap- 
proved herself.  The  latent  possibilities  of  her  nature 
announced  themselves  when  she  started  upon  her 
perilous  undertaking.  She  had  never  been  tried. 
From  the  seclusion  of  her  cousin's  house  she  had  en- 
tered the  royal  palace,  where  she  had  at  once  become 
a  favorite.  No  one  could  have  imagined  that  she 
would  exhibit  the  heroism,  the  resoluteness,  the  ad- 
dress, which  appeared  as  soon  as  she  began  her  diffi- 
cult task.  Unconsciously,  to  herself  and  to  others, 
she  had  been  preparing  for  this  crisis.  God  knew  that 
she  must  meet  it.  His  omniscience  is  more  sensitive 
in  its  reports  of  impending  danger  than  the  barom- 
eter is  of  storms.  God  was  watchful.  The  crisis 
found  Esther  possessed  of  unexpected  strength,  and  it 
left  her  in  full  possession  of  that  strength.     She  had 


THE  Q  UES  TION  OF  MORDECAI.  1 3  5 

tested  her  powers.  The  memory  of  that  crisis  must 
have  gone  with  her  to  the  grave,  and  very  often  she 
must  have  looked  back  for  encouragement  when  sub- 
sequently tried.  These  crises,  through  which  we  pass 
safely  and  with  victory,  become  monuments  in  the 
memory  of  God's  sustaining  grace.  We  have  a  right 
to  refer  to  them.  "  Samuel  took  a  stone,  and  set  it 
between  Mizpeh  and  Shen,  and  called  the  name  of  it 
*  Ebenezer,'  saying,  '  Hitherto  hath  the  Lord  helped 
us.'  "  He  was  unwilling  that  the  Hebrews  should 
forget  the  goodness  of  God.  They  had  been  able  to 
recover  the  ark  of  God,  and  to  defeat  the  Philistines. 
A  memorable  triumph  had  been  recorded.  It  was 
the  Lord  who  thundered  with  a  great  thunder  that 
day,  and  He  had  discomfited  the  Philistines.  Why, 
then,  should  they  not  remember  His  interference; 
and  why  should  they  not  hope  for  similar  assistance 
in  every  time  of  need  ?  Christians  often  wonder  if 
they  are  right  in  looking  back  upon  past  experiences. 
In  times  of  especial  trial,  when  they  have  been  very 
ill,  or  when  they  have  lost  property,  or  when  friends 
have  been  taken  from  them,  they  have  been  conscious 
of  God's  presence,  and  have  been  surprised  to  realize 
such  composure  and  resignation  as  they  have  known. 
Every  promise  has  yielded  its  truth:  every  anticipa- 
tion has  been  met.  Then  time  and  the  shifting  in- 
terests of  life  have  diverted  the  soul,  and  new  scenes 
and  new  occupations  have  opened  new  possibilities 


136  THE  QUESTION  OF  MORDECAL 

of  trial.  The  exposure  is  evident.  Will  religion 
prove  helpful,  once  more,  when  a  new  crisis  is  met  ? 
Why  not  ?  The  Psalmist,  in  the  day  of  his  trouble, 
turned  almost  instinctively  to  remember  the  years  of 
the  right  hand  of  the  Most  High.  May  not  we  fol- 
low His  example  ?  Is  it  not  true  for  us  that  "  as  thy 
days,  so  shall  thy  strength  be"?  May  we  not  look 
for  God  in  the  crises  of  the  future,  because  He  has 
been  faithful  in  the  crises  of  the  past?  Most  cer- 
tainly !  We  may  wait  confidently  upon  His  word  ; 
"  for  He  hath  said,  '  I  will  never  leave  thee,  nor  for- 
sake thee.'  So  that  we  may  boldly  say,  '  The  Lord 
is  my  helper,  and  I  will  not  fear  what  man  shall  do 
unto  me.'  "  It  is  in  this  way,  and  in  this  way  only, 
that  experience  worketh  hope.  Men  of  the  world  shake 
their  heads  incredulously  at  this  statement  of  the 
Apostle,  "  experience  worketh  hope  ! "  No !  they  can 
not  believe  it.  Contact  with  the  world  takes  hope 
away.  Inexperience  is  hopeful.  The  romance  of  life 
disappears  as  the  years  multiply.  Disappointments 
are  too  frequent.  Youth  expects  to  realize  the  for- 
tune. Old  age  is  apt  to  be  satisfied  with  the  prayer: 
"  Give  us  this  day  our  daily  bread."  But  it  is  not  so 
with  the  servants  of  God.  Experience  has  satisfied 
them  that  the  things  of  God  are  real.  They  have 
taken  soundings  for  themselves,  and  they  have  always 
discovered  that  the  buoys  along  the  channels  have 
been  carefully  located.     God  has  been  true.     Every 


THE  Q  UES  TION  OF  MO RD  EC  AT.  j  3  7 

time  that  they  have  felt  for  the  Rock  they  have  found 
it.  Is  it  not  reasonable,  therefore,  that  they  should 
hope  on  and  hope  ever?  Yes!  we  may  dismiss  anx- 
ious solicitude.  We  know  nothing  about  the  partic- 
ular  future  events  of  our  lives.  We  must  walk  by 
faith  up  to  the  very  last.  We  may  be  sick,  we  may 
be  reproached,  we  may  be  poor,  we  shall  surely  die ; 
yet  God  will  meet  us  constantly ;  and  if  we  are  only 
looking  for  Him,  we  shall  surely  be  calm  and  even 
joyful. 

It  is  evident  that  God  orders  our  lives  so  that  we 
must  meet  these  crises.  We  should  not  grow  strong 
if  we  should  be  left  without  them.  They  seem  to  be 
necessary.  Even  the  most  ordinary  events  may  ac- 
complish ihis  service.  For  God  only  can  know  how 
universal  and  how  varied  these  crises  are.  The  rich 
man  meets  them  in  one  way  and  the  poor  man  in 
another.  Yet  both  meet  them.  There  is  no  escape ; 
and  it  is  well  for  us  that  there  is  no  hope  of  escape.  If 
personal  character  is  the  one  immortal  interest,  then 
surely  he  must  bring  the  most  out  of  life,  who  is  able 
to  carry  with  him  into  another  world  the  most  per- 
fect character.  The  crises  test  us.  We  discover  then 
our  weakness  and  our  strength.  If  we  are  wise,  we 
straightway  begin  to  do  as  the  mariner  does  who  has 
made  a  harbor  after  a  terrific  gale.  How  quickly  he 
repairs  his  ship  ;  and  how  eager  he  is  to  add  strength 
to  the  rigging,  if  it  has  been  severely  strained. 


138  THE  QUESTION  OF  MORDECAI. 

Character  requires  constant  testing.  We  must 
co-operate  with  God  in  His  endeavor  to  purify  and 
to  spiritualize  us.  He  has  indicated  the  process. 
We  shall  ultimately  rejoice  in  the  result.  I  found  in 
the  book-store  a  short  time  ago  a  little  volume  of 
"  Reflections  in  Palestine,"  by  Gen.  Gordon,  the  hero 
of  the  Soudan.  The  book  had  come  to  us  from  Lon- 
don, and  contains  some  very  interesting  evidences 
of  the  religious  views  of  that  remarkable  man.  These 
"  Reflections  in  Palestine  "  were  written  during  the 
year  1883.  In  reading  them,  one  discovers  the  se- 
cret of  the  man's  courage,  and  also  of  his  determina- 
tion. He  was  a  firm  believer  in  God,  in  the  inspiration 
of  the  Bible,  and  in  the  efficacy  of  prayer.  His  char- 
acter had  been  tried  again  and  again.  He  had  lived 
through  a  very  large  number  of  the  truths  of  our 
holy  religion.  "  Praying  for  the  people  ahead  of  me 
whom  I  am  to  meet  gives  me  much  strength,"  he 
once  said,  "  and  it  is  wonderful  how  something  seems 
already  to  have  passed  between  us,  when  for  the  first 

time  I  meet  a  chief  for  whom  I  have  prayed I 

really  have  no  troops  with  me,  but  I  have  the  Sheki- 
nah,  and  I  do  like  trusting  to  Him."  From  Khartoum 
on  the  3d  of  March,  he  wrote  to  the  publishers  of 
his  book:  "  I  am  comforted  here  in  my  weakness  by 
the  reflection  that  our  Lord  rules  all  things ;  and  it  is 
dire  rebellion  to  dislike,  or  murmur  against,  His  rule. 
May  His  name  be  glorified  !  these  people  blessed  and 


THE  QUESTION  OF  MORDECAI.  139 

comforted !  and  may  I  be  deeply  humbled  and  thus 
have  a  greater  sense  of  His  indwelling  Spirit !  This 
is  my  earnest  prayer." 

We  shall  not  match  His  experience  ;  and  yet,  in  our 
own  measure,  we  may  draw  upon  His  resources.  Only 
let  us  know  why  we  are  here;  only  let  us  read  into 
life  its  thought ;  only  let  us  face  toward  Heaven,  and 
walk  with  its  glory  upon  us  all  the  time ! 

There  is  still  another  thought  in  this  question  of 
Mordecai — and  a  thought  of  present  interest  to  us 
all — viz.,  to  arrest  a  great  wrong  or  to  avert  an  im- 
pending calamity,  strength  and  influence  should  be 
given  freely.  This  was  after  all  the  significance  of 
the  appeal  as  it  reached  Esther.  She  had  become 
a  queen.  Unexpected  opportunities  of  service  had 
been  presented.  She  might  embrace  those  oppor- 
tunities, or  she  might  fail.  The  disaster  had  not  yet 
come.  It  was  only  threatened.  Should  she  step  for- 
ward now  and  prevent  it  by  her  intercession  ?  This 
was  the  question  of  that  hour,  and  it  is  the  question 
of  every  hour.  The  preventive  ministry  should  be 
an  active  ministry.  "  We  then  that  are  strong  ought 
to  bear  the  infirmities  of  the  weak,  and  not  to  please 
ourselves.  Let  every  one  of  us  please  his  neighbor 
for  his  good  to  edification."  A  very  important  prin- 
ciple was  given  prominence  in  the  Mosaic  legislation, 
when  the  Hebrews  were  commanded  to  place  battle- 
ments upon  the  roofs  of  their  houses.     The  house-top 


I4o  THE  QUESTION  OF  MORDECAI. 

was  constantly  used.  It  must,  therefore,  be  made 
safe.  Friends  must  be  kept  from  falling  off,  just  as 
they  must  be  treated  considerately  if  so  unfortunate 
as  to  fall  off.  When  our  Lord  was  in  Galilee  He  re- 
fused to  dismiss  the  hungry  multitude  until  He  had 
fed  them.  "  I  will  not  send  them  away  fasting,"  He 
said,  "  lest  they  faint  in  the  way."  He  anticipated 
trouble.  A  large  part  of.  His  ministry  was  exercised 
with  reference  to  prevention.  The  Church  has  this 
as  her  great  mission.  We  establish  the  Church  of 
Christ  in  new  communities  with  the  confident  expec- 
tation that  she  will  become  a  mother  to  the  people. 
We  admit  children  to  the  communion  of  the  church 
with  the  hope  that  we  may  be  able  to  develop  their 
Christian  characters,  so  that  they  may  resist  sin  in 
every  form.  A  large  part  of  education  looks  in  this 
direction  ;  and  to  these  claims  the  ripest  talents 
should  be  given.  We  need  to  look  ahead.  The  wise 
man  foresees  the  evil,  and  makes  provision  to  meet 
it.  His  eyes  are  always  open.  Like  a  traveller  who 
stops  to  pick  up  a  stone  and  to  throw  it  out  of  the 
road  for  the  sake  of  those  who  may  come  after  him, 
the  wise  man  is  considerate  of  the  generations  follow- 
ing. He  uses  his  strength  and  influence,  as  a  steward 
employs  the  money  of  an  estate.  They  are  for  the 
benefit  of  his  master's  property.  Can  we  make  life 
brighter?  Can  we  hold  our  fellow-men  to  spiritual 
interests?     Can   we   cultivate   the    flowers   and   the 


THE  QUESTION  OF  MORDECAI.  I4I 

fruits  to  the  exclusion  of  the  thorns  and  the  briars? 
This  is  positive  work.  It  is  surely  better  to  try  and 
make  your  friend  a  good  man,  than  to  try  and  keep 
him  from  being  a  bad  man.  The  Gospel  v/orks  in 
this  direction.  Its  aim  is  definite  and  clear.  Men  are 
to  be  preserved  blameless  and  presented  faultless. 

How  often  we  find  a  man,  after  long  wanderings 
amidst  speculations  and  doubts,  coming  back  to  the 
faith  of  his  childhood  and  accepting  calmly  his 
mother's  Saviour!  That  mother  may  be  in  Heaven, 
where  her  prayers  have  been  laid  up  by  God.  She 
may  have  passed  away  with  the  painful  thought  that 
she  had  failed  to  lead  her  son  aright.  But  now  her 
influence  appears.  The  early  instruction  has  not 
been  lost.  She  has  her  reward.  Oh  !  men  with  pray- 
ing mothers,  whose  first  breath  of  life  was  greeted 
with  prayer,  whose  steps  were  turned  toward  the 
straight  and  narrow  way  by  a  loving  hand,  are  you 
mindful  of  that  influence  ?  does  it  now  affect  you  ? 
are  you  conscious  of  its  constraint  ?  Thank  God 
that  you  have  it !  Respond  promptly  to  its  plead- 
ing !  Return  from  all  your  wanderings  to  give  your 
faith  unto  Him  whom  your  mother  loved  and  served 
so  well ! 

To  most  of  us,  the  practical  interests  of  temper- 
ance make  their  appeal  right  here.  We  are  ourselves 
secure  against  intemperance,  because  we  have  been 
the  recipients  of  a  preventive  ministry.      We  have 


I42  THE  QUESTION  OF  MORDECAI. 

been  educated  to  our  present  convictions.  They  are 
not  the  accidents  of  mere  good  fortune.  Circum- 
stances have  exerted  their  influence  upon  us,  and  we 
have  learned  the  wisdom  and  the  expediency  of  absti- 
nence from  the  use  of  all  that  may  intoxicate.  This 
is  our  personal  safety.  Now,  what  of  our  duty  ? 
Must  we  wait  until  men  are  drunkards  before  we 
exert  ourselves?  or  must  we  now  undertake  to  pre- 
vent drunkenness  in  every  proper  and  legitimate 
way?  The  public  sentiment  of  the  age  is  already 
beginning  to  speak  in  answer  to  that  question.  We 
must  prevent.  The  intelligence  and  virtue  of  every 
community  must  prevent.  The  strong  arm  of  the 
law  must  be  employed.  Public  sentiment  must  be 
cultivated.  The  individual  conscience  must  be  in- 
structed. Here  is  a  sphere  for  the  exercise  of 
strength  and  influence.  The  hope  of  the  future  de- 
pends upon  this  exercise.  We  can  not  afford  to  be 
indifferent.  To  each  one  of  us  the  question  is  ad- 
dressed :  "  Who  knoweth  whether  thou  art  come  to 
the  kingdom  for  such  a  time  as  this?" 

There  are  men  whom  we  meet  who  have  more 
than  once  stayed  the  tide  of  commercial  disaster 
when  it  was  beginning  to  rush  with  destructive  vio- 
lence. They  have  simply  put  forth  their  strength 
and  influence,  and  confidence  has  been  restored. 
They  did  not  wait  until  the  havoc  of  the  disaster 
had  brought  ruin  to  multitudes.     They  appreciated 


THE  QUESTION  OF  MORDECAL  143 

the  situation.  They  anticipated,  and  so  prevented 
the  calamity.  This  is  quiet  work.  It  seldom  goes 
out  with  music  and  banners.  Yet  it  is  heroes'  work. 
The  world  does  not  applaud  it  as  they  do  the  clash 
and  noise  of  war.  Yet  it  is  better.  It  may  not  find 
a  place  in  history,  but  it  carries  a  good  conscience, 
and  God  pronounces  His  "well  done!"  You  may 
have  had  such  opportunities  in  the  past ;  if  so,  you 
will  look  for  them  in  the  future.  To  this  end,  let  us 
seek  to  be  strong  and  to  accumulate  influence.  A 
man  may  wonder  for  years  what  his  strength  is  good 
for,  and  how  his  influence  will  ever  tell.  Let  him 
not  be  impatient.  His  time  will  come.  There  is 
some  good  word  for  him  to  speak,  some  telling  action 
for  him  to  accomplish  ;  only  let  him  cultivate  strength 
and  influence  for  service,  service,  service,  always  for 
service ;  then,  when  he  is  summoned,  he  will  be  pre- 
pared to  meet  the  duty  of  the  hour. 

If  we  have  carefully  followed  the  course  of  this 
strangely  interesting  history,  we  have  already  found 
new  reasons  for  trusting  God.  If  you  can  really 
trust  God,  then  you  are  ready  to  enjoy  life.  God 
gives  us  hope.  We  never  weary  of  God.  Our  invest- 
ments with  God  pay  the  best  dividends.  There  can 
be  no  bankruptcy  there.  The  saints  are  perpetually 
solvent.  Accept  God,  live  for  God,  work  with  God, 
and  then,  oh  !  then,  life  will  grow  sweet  and  mellow, 
and   its   fair  prospect  of   immortal  blessedness  will 


144  THE  QUESTION  OF  MORDECAI. 

solve  many  of  the  mysteries  of  time,  and  will  keep 
from  us  despair  and  gloom  and  every  foreboding. 
"  Many  a  man  has  said,"  remarks  an  English  essayist, 
"  I  labored  to  grow  rich  ;  I  thought  I  should  be  happy 
then ;  I  have  grown  rich,  and  I  am  no  happier  than 
before.  Many  a  man  has  said,  I  labored  to  grow 
eminent ;  I  thought  I  should  be  happy  then ;  I  have 
gained  what  I  wished,  and  I  am  no  happier  than  be- 
fore. But  the  man  never  breathed  who  would  say 
the  like  of  the  blessings  of  grace.  The  man  never 
breathed  who  would  say  that  he  had  grown  weary  of 
his  Saviour's  love  and  of  the  blessed  Spirit's  consola- 
tion ;  that  he  had  tried  them  for  himself,  and  found 
them  empty  and  vain."  Turn  we,  therefore,  to  God, 
who  is  always  true,  always  faithful,  always  satisfying! 
He  is  near  to  us  in  the  person  of  our  Saviour,  Jesus 
Christ.  Accepting  Him,  the  Saviour,  we  accept  God ; 
and  when  we  accept  God,  we  begin  to  be  ready  to 
serve  one  another,  to  offer  to  our  fellow-men  a  noble 
personality,  to  meet  the  great  world  with  a  strength 
which  is  divine. 


VIII. 
"THE   SEA   IS   HIS." 
"  The  sea  is  His,  and  He  made  it." — Ps.  xcv.  5. 

The  Psalmist  looked  upon  the  sea  as  its  waters 
touched  the  western  borders  of  the  Holy  Land.  In 
his  day,  commerce  had  not  become  familiar  with  the 
great  oceans  which  are  now  the  highways  of  the 
world.  The  Phoenicians,  who  were  bold  navigators, 
sometimes  passed  between  the  Pillars  of  Hercules,  and 
coasted  along  the  shores  of  Spain  and  Gaul  until  they 
reached  Britain.  But  the  Hebrews  remained  at  home, 
satisfied  to  enjoy  the  fertility  of  the  hills  and  valleys 
which  God  had  blessed.  They  were  a  favored  peo- 
ple. Jerusalem  was  the  centre  of  their  earth.  To 
visit  the  Temple  and  to  participate  in  the  great  festi- 
vals made  them  supremely  happy ;  while  to  foster  a 
national  spirit  and  to  keep  separate  from  the  sur- 
rounding heathenism,  were  duties  which  their  chil- 
dren were  taught  to  regard.  The  Mediterranean  was 
their  sea,  and  its  expanse  seemed  limitless.  From 
the  heights  of  Carmel  or  from  the  hills  of  Judah, 
they  could  observe  the  vast  extent  of  its  waters,  and 
could  watch  the  ships  which  sailed  to  lands  beyond 
7  (145) 


I46  "  THE  SEA  IS  HIS." 

the  horizon  ;  while  upon  the  coast  from  Joppa  to 
Sidon,  they  could  hear  the  deep  roar  of  the  surf  and 
could  enjoy  the  variety  and  beauty  of  the  ever-chang- 
ing waves. 

Into  the  poetry  of  the  Hebrews,  the  sea  entered 
as  an  illustration  of  the  sublimity,  the  grandeur,  and 
the  mysteriousness  of  God.  To  their  imagination 
He  seemed  to  have  kept  the  sea  to  Himself.  They 
could  not  understand  its  secrets  any  more  than  they 
could  understand  His  nature.  The  earth  was  theirs, 
and  they  had  subdued  so  much  of  it  as  they  pos- 
sessed. But  the  sea — although  it  was  spread  out  be- 
fore their  eyes,  although  its  ownership  was  like  the 
ownership  of  the  firmament  above,  the  common  heri- 
tage of  the  race — filled  them  with  wonder  and  awe 
and  dread.  God  was  there.  His  way  was  in  the 
sea  ;  His  paths  were  in  the  deep  waters ;  His  foot- 
steps were  not  known. 

Centuries  of  heroic  endeavor  have  added  to  man's 
acquaintance  with  the  sea.  Its  shores  have  been 
mapped  and  its  depths  have  been  searched.  One  ocean 
after  another  has  been  explored,  until  now  the  inac- 
cessible regions  about  the  pole  are  those  which  lie 
concealed.  Man's  familiarity  with  the  sea,  however, 
has  not  made  him  its  master.  He  can  not  defy  the 
sea,  nor  can  he  disregard  the  authority  of  the  sea. 
God  has  not  given  man  the  sea  as  his  domain.  "  The 
sea  is  His,  and  He  made  it."     How  often  this  con- 


"THE  SEA  IS  HIS."  147 

sciousness  arises  in  and  takes  possession  of  the  mind  ! 
Man  seems  insignificant  when  he  stands  before  the 
mighty  waves  of  the  sea.  His  splendid  armadas  and 
his  granite  foundations  are  quickly  swept  away  if  the 
waters  rage  against  them,  and  the  sea  measures  its 
strength  with  theirs.  The  voice  of  a  king  is  as  pow- 
erless to  arrest  the  rising  tide  as  is  that  of  an  infant. 
The  sea  commands  respect.  Its  laws  must  be  con- 
sidered and  obeyed  if  there  is  to  be  escape  from  its 
wrath,  or  if  there  is  to  be  use  of  its  advantages. 
God  is  there.  His  voice  is  heard.  His  omnipotence 
is  manifest. 

As  we  sympathize  with  the  devout  Hebrews  in 
their  estimate  of  the  sea,  we  can  hardly  fail  to  con- 
sider that  the  sea  is  a  magnificent  expression  of 
divine  power  in  the  broad  expanse  of  its  surface,  and 
the  absolute  control  of  its  waves.  Here  is  a  fluid 
substance,  always  in  motion,  whose  extent  is  far  be- 
yond our  estimate,  and  yet  it  is  held  within  its  own 
bounds  and  under  the  most  perfect  authority  of 
divine  law.  We  go  down  to  the  shore  of  the  sea 
and  meditate  alone  upon  this  vastness  and  order. 
The  waves  rise  and  fall,  the  tides  advance  and  re- 
cede, but  there  is  no  confusion.  The  waters  do  not 
overleap  their  appointed  bounds.  Steadily  they  lift 
themselves  with  irresistible  power  and  then  they 
pause  and  quietly  retreat,  until  they  are  far  off  in  the 
distance.     Ordinarily,  six  to  eight  feet  of  tide  may 


I48  "  THE  SEA  IS  HIS." 

be  noticed,  sometimes  ten  to  twenty  feet,  and,  occa- 
sionally, forty,  fifty,  and  even  seventy  feet.  The  in- 
fluence of  the  moon  is  responsible  for  these  mysteri- 
ous changes,  which  occur  with  the  utmost  regularity. 
We  can  predict  when  we  shall  have  high  tide  and 
when  the  tide  will  be  low  ;  we  can  also  name  the  day 
and  the  hour  of  each  month  when  the  tide  will  be 
very  high  and  when  it  will  be  very  low.  Without 
this  control  there  could  be  no  safety  upon  the  shores 
of  the  sea,  nor,  indeed,  upon  any  portion  of  the  land. 
If  the  sea  was  permitted  to  rise  and  fall  by  chance 
the  land  would  be  deluged.  But  God  has  ordained 
such  an  order  and  made  such  laws,  that  the  silent 
moon  is  charged  with  the  important  duty  of  main- 
taining the  uniformity  of  the  sea  level.  "  As  the 
moon  moves  slowly  around  the  earth,"  the  astrono- 
mer tells  us,  "  her  attraction  draws  up  the  yielding 
waters  of  the  ocean  in  a  vast  wave  which  moves 
slowly  along  with  her.  The  same  attraction  which 
thus  lifts  a  wave  on  the  side  of  the  earth  toward 
the  moon,  draws  the  earth  gently  away  from  the  wa- 
ters on  the  opposite  side,  and  causes  a  second  wave 
there.  These  two  waves  sweep  steadily  onward,  fol- 
lowing the  movements  of  the  moon — not  real,  but 
seeming  movements — caused  by  the  turning  of  the 
earth  upon  its  axis."  What  a  beautiful  exhibition  is 
this  of  that  divine  power  which  upholds  all  things  ! 
How  impossible  it  is  to  refer  to  an  accident,  or  to  a 


"  THE  SEA  IS  HIS."  I49 

fortuitous  concurrence  of  atoms,  or  to  any  unintelli- 
gent force  a  result  like  this,  which  is  so  evident !  I 
could  as  soon  believe  that  stone  from  the  mountains, 
and  timber  from  the  forests,  and  iron  from  the  mines, 
and  slate  from  the  quarries  came  together  of  their 
own  motion,  or  through  a  certain  natural  affinity,  and 
combined  to  form  a  house,  as  I  could  believe  that 
the  tides  of  the  ocean  are  independent  of  the  exist- 
ence of  God.  In  spite  of  all  modern  denials,  we  must 
still  cling  to  the  argument  of  Paley  to  prove  that  de- 
sign implies  a  designer.  Effects  must  have  a  cause, 
and  the  cause  must  be  adequate  to  the  production 
of  the  effect.  The  irreverence  which  attempts  to  de- 
throne God  is  rebuked  by  the  sea.  His  power  is  a 
sublime  reality  there.  "  The  floods  have  lifted  up, 
O  Lord,  the  floods  have  lifted  up  their  voice  ;  the 
floods  lift  up  their  waves.  The  Lord  on  high  is 
mightier  than  the  noise  of  many  waters,  yea,  than  the 
mighty  waves  of  the  sea." 

But  there  is  another  form,  or  method,  of  God's  con- 
trol to  which  we  may  refer.  The  daily  motion  of  the 
earth  upon  its  axis  would  pile  up  the  mass  of  waters 
which  compose  the  sea  around  the  equator,  if  there 
were  no  counterbalancing  agencies.  But  God  has 
met  this  difficulty  by  depressing  the  form  of  the 
earth  at  the  two  poles,  so  that  its  shape  is  not  that  of 
a  perfect  sphere.  In  this  way,  the  equatorial  regions 
are  elevated,  and   the  centrifugal  force  of  the  daily 


150 


THE  SEA  IS  HIS." 


motion  is  met.  Here  again  there  are  evidences  of  the 
most  delicate  adjustments.  We  have  the  alternations 
of  day  and  night,  because  the  earth  revolves  upon  its 
axis ;  and  we  have  sea  and  land  in  the  Northern  and 
Southern  zones,  because  the  earth  is  girded  at  the 
equator  by  a  ridge  of  mountains.  This,  God's  order, 
has  been  maintained  from  the  beginning.  Man  can 
not  affect  it.  Its  operations  are  beneficent.  Life  and 
health  and  prosperity  come  to  us  from  the  sea,  which 
God  ever  holds  within  its  bounds,  obedient  to  His 
purpose. 

This  broad  expanse  of  waters  is,  therefore,  eloquent 
with  God's  praise.  We  go  down  to  the  sea  in  ships, 
and  sail  away  over  the  broad  expanse.  Day  follows 
day,  week  succeeds  to  week,  and  month  to  month, 
while  we  still  pursue  our  voyage  upon  the  pathless 
ocean.  It  is  estimated  that  three-fourths  of  the 
earth's  surface  is  covered  by  this  unstable  element ; 
only  one-fourth  is  dry  land,  intrusted  to  man  as  his 
abode.  He  may  use  the  sea,  but  it  is  not  his.  Upon 
it  he  can  rear  no  monuments,  he  can  engrave  no  in- 
scriptions, he  can  build  no  cities,  he  can  establish  no 
freehold.  He  is  a  voyager,  often  tossed  to  and  fro 
as  the  sport  of  the  waves,  often  hurried  to  destruc- 
tion by  the  raging  of  the  tempest,  and  often  speeding 
on  his  way  to  the  desired  haven  with  faithful  chart 
and  compass.  God  controls  the  sea.  "  The  sea  is 
His,  and  He  made  it."    We  may  cheer  our  hearts  with 


"  THE  SEA  IS  HIS."  1 5 1 

this  sweet  consciousness.  Friends  beloved  are,  it  may- 
be, far  off  upon  the  sea,  yet  with  them  God  is  present. 
He  holds  the  waters  in  the  hollow  of  His  hand.  He 
rules  the  raging  of  the  sea;  when  the  waves  thereof 
arise  He  stills  them.  Gladly  do  we  wait  upon  Him. 
Reverently  do  we  anticipate  His  presence.  Tenderly 
do  we  commit  to  Him  our  cherished  interests  on  the 
sea,  and  beseech  Him  of  His  great  mercy  to  protect  all 
those  who  go  down  to  the  sea  in  ships. 

The  sea  exhibits  the  wisdom  of  God  in  the  va- 
riety of  its  services  and  the  abundance  of  its  life. 
You  have  observed  the  phosphorescence  of  the  sea  as 
you  have  watched  the  breaking  of  the  surf,  or  as  you 
have  made  your  way  through  the  water  upon  the 
deck  of  a  ship.  How  brilliant  it  is  !  Yet  this  phosphor- 
escence is  nothing  whatever  but  the  activity  of  life. 
Living  creatures,  many  of  them  invisible  alone  to  the 
naked  eye,  flash  forth  this  magnificent  illumination  by 
their  multitude.  Mr.  Darwin,  the  naturalist,  once 
observed  this  phenomenon  in  the  Indian  Ocean,  when 
it  covered  an  area  of  more  than  twenty  miles.  "  In 
appearance,"  he  remarks,  "  it  was  like  a  plain  of  snow. 
The  scene  was  one  of  awful  grandeur ;  the  sea  being 
turned  to  phosphorus,  the  heavens  being  hung  in 
blackness,  and  the  stars  going  out." 

The  coral  islands  of  the  Pacific  are  vast  cemeteries 
of  insect  life.  Tiny  insects  have  given  their  lives  to 
the  construction  of  these  beautiful  homes  of  the  palm- 


152  "THE  SEA  IS  HIS." 

tree,  where  man  has  found  a  residence.  Their  num- 
ber must  have  been  far  beyond  any  computation. 
Yet  each  one  of  them  was  perfect  of  its  kind,  and 
accomplished  its  predestined  work. 

Then  there  are  the  fishes  and  marine  animals,  so 
strange  in  their  construction,  so  carefully  formed  by 
their  Creator ;  and  the  plants  of  countless  varieties, 
which  hide  their  beauty  in  the  depths  of  the  sea.  God 
made  them  all.  They  are  His.  With  many  of  them  man 
has  scarcely  formed  an  acquaintance.  They  are  be- 
yond his  reach.  He  can  only  wonder  and  adore,  as 
he  searches  the  deep  places  of  the  sea,  and  brings 
forth  the  treasures  which  are  hidden  there.  The  sea 
is  God's  great  museum  of  natural  history,  into  which 
man  may  sometimes  enter,  and  from  which  it  is  hardly 
possible  to  come  forth  without  new  impressions  of 
the  Creator's  wisdom  and  skill.  Life,  life  on  every 
side,  and  life  constantly  appealing  to  the  Infinite 
Source  of  all  Life. 

Mention  has  been  made  of  the  tides,  and  we  should 
not  fail  to  think  for  a  moment  of  their  services.  They 
are  the  great  purifiers  of  the  earth.  With  their  sweet, 
clean  waters,  they  make  their  way  into  bays  and 
harbors  and  rivers,  washing  the  shores,  and  carrying 
off  with  them  a  great  amount  of  waste  and  filth. 
Toulon  and, Marseilles,  in  France,  have  both  suffered 
this  present  season,"  because  their  artificial  harbors 


"THE  SEA  IS  HIS.' 


153 


upon  the  Mediterranean  Sea  are  not  swept  by  the 
tides ;  and  London,  the  greatest  city  of  the  world,  is 
habitable,  because  the  strong  tides  find  their  way  far 
beyond  London  Bridge.  What  a  beneficent  provision 
this  is  !  How  dependent  man  is  upon  it !  Yet  how 
seldom  do  we  consider  the  wisdom  which  ordained 
and  rules  it ! 

The  tides  suggest  the  great  currents  of  the  sea  like 
the  Gulf  Stream ;  and  what  a  marvellous  display  of 
divine  forethought  is  here  !  "There  is  a  river  in  the 
ocean,"  says  Lieut.  Maury.  "  In  the  severest  droughts 
it  never  fails,  and  in  the  mightiest  floods  it  never 
overflows.  Its  banks  and  its  bottom  are  of  cold 
water,  while  its  current  is  of  warm.  The  Gulf  of 
Mexico  is  its  fountain,  while  its  mouth  is  in  the  Arctic 
seas.  It  is  the  Gulf  Stream.  There  is  in  the  world 
no  other  such  majestic  flow  of  waters.  Its  current  is 
more  rapid  than  the  Mississippi  or  Amazon,  and  its 
volume  more  than  a  thousand  times  greater."  These 
currents  of  the  sea  carry  with  them  and  dispense  heat 
and  fertility,  cold  and  moisture.  They  flow  in  many 
directions,  and  are  the  dependence  of  large  portions 
of  the  civilized  world.  The  nations  of  Northern 
Europe  would  soon  be  driven  from  their  homes  by 
frost  and  ice  if  the  Gulf  Stream  should  cease  to  pour 
its  waters  along  their  shores ;  and  the  Tropical  seas 
would  become  too  warm  for  life,  with  the  intense 
rays  of  the  sun  pouring  upon  them,  if  their  waters 

>7* 


154  "THE  SEA  IS  HIS." 

were  not  constantly  chilled  by  the  Polar  currents, 
which  flow  from  the  regions  of  perpetual  ice.  Thus 
the  wisdom  of  God  has  made  provision  for  the  welfare 
of  man  in  all  parts  of  the  world,  and  the  sea  is  the 
intelligent  servant  whose  duties  are  indicative  of  His 
omniscience. 

Land-locked  seas,  like  the  Mediterranean  and  the 
Red,  are  powerfully  affected  by  evaporation.  This 
evaporation  would  dry  up  the  seas  in  time,  but  for 
the  fact  that  the  currents  of  water  made  dense  with 
brine  flow  out  into  the  oceans,  while  the  ocean  cur- 
rents, much  lighter  and  with  less  brine,  flow  in  to 
maintain  the  level.  These  two  currents,  the  one 
above  the  other,  are  constantly  in  motion,  and  the 
result  is  the  maintenance  of  the  sea.  Here  is  a  new 
evidence  of  divine  forethought  and  power.  For  God 
alone  could  have  foreseen  this  necessity,  and  no  pow- 
er but  His  could  have  given  such  orderly  and  essen- 
tial currents  to  the  waters  of  the  sea. 

The  sea  performs  an  important  part  in  the  activity 
of  the  great  law  of  circularity.  This  law  secures  the 
distribution  of  matter,  in  its  changes,  over  the  face 
of  the  earth.  Nothing  is  lost.  Matter  changes  its 
form  without  destruction.  As  the  sacred  writer  has 
declared  :  "  The  wind  goeth  toward  the  south,  and 
turneth  about  unto  the  north  ;  it  whirleth  about  con- 
tinually, and  the  wind  returneth  again  according  to 
his  circuits.     All  the  rivers  run  into  the  sea  ;  yet  the 


"THE  SEA  IS  HIS." 


155 


sea  is  not  full :  unto  the  place  from  whence  the  riv- 
ers come,  thither  they  return  again."  "  The  thing 
that  hath  been,  it  is  that  which  shall  be  ;  and  that 
which  is  done  is  that  which  shall  be  done  ;  and  there 
is  no  new  thing  under  the  sun."  Here  is  a  most 
perfect  adjustment,  in  which  the  sea  is  especially 
active.  It  receives  the  waters  of  the  streams,  and 
returns  them  to  the  clouds  ;  it  arouses  many  of  the 
winds  which  sweep  the  moisture-laden  clouds  to  the 
regions  of  mountains  and  valleys.  The  activity  is 
incessant.  By  means  of  it  the  atmosphere  is  purified, 
the  early  and  the  latter  rains  are  given,  and  life  is  per- 
petuated. Very  beautifully  has  a  Christian  thinker  * 
of  Scotland  expressed  himself  in  his  reflections  upon 
this  divine  law :  "  Unlike  man's  best  machinery,  this 
process  produces  absolutely  no  waste;  not  so  much 
as  a  dewdrop  goes  amissing  in  a  thousand  years.  A 
drop  exhales  from  the  ground  as  the  morning  sun 
grows  hot  ;  it  goes  out  of  sight  in  the  unfathomable 
ocean  of  air  ;  but  it  is  not  lost,  it  is  in  the  book,  and 
in  by  double  entry ;  it  must  and  will  cast  up  at  the 
balance  in  its  proper  place.  It  dissipates  from  a 
daisy  in  your  garden  in  June  ;  if  stock  were  taken  at 
Christmas,  it  might  be  found  frozen  in  at  St.  Peters- 
burg on  the  Neva,  or  sparkling  as  it  leaps  from  the 
paddle  of  a  canoe  on  an  unnamed  African  lake  ;   it 


*  Dr.  Arnot,  "  The  Present  World,"  p.  46. 


I56  "THE  SEA  IS  HIS." 

might  be  found  on  a  pinnacle  of  the  fantastic  icicles 
that  adorn  Niagara,  or  springing  in  the  fountains 
that  feed  the  mysterious  Nile  ;  it  might  be  found  ad- 
hering to  the  feather  with  which  a  mother  and  queen 
is  wetting  the  lips  of  her  son  and  heir  at  the  deep, 
dark,  midnight  turning-point  of  his  fever,  or  consti- 
tuting a  portion  of  the  great  tear  standing  on  the 
black  cheek  of  an  African  youth  while  the  white 
slaver  is  counting  out  the  price  and  stowing  away 
the  cargo  ;  it  might  be  found — but  where  might  it 
not  be  found  ?  Only  one  thing  is  sure,  it  can  not 
be  lost." 

How  admirable  does  the  wisdom  of  the  Supreme 
Being  appear  when  its  manifestations  are  considered  ! 
God  hides  Himself,  but  He  acquaints  us  with  His 
character.  Back  of  and  prior  to  these  wonderful  phe- 
nomena of  nature  we  recognize  God.  He  is  our  de- 
pendence. In  Him  we  rejoice.  His  presence  adds 
interest  to  every  tint  on  leaf  or  flower;  to  every 
voice  of  insect  or  of  bird  ;  to  every  motion  of  cloud 
or  sea.  The  earth  is  God's  temple,  in  which  His 
praise  is  constantly  heard,  while  man  alone  refuses 
to  do  Him  homage.  Yet  to  man  He  has  revealed 
Himself  in  the  clearest  terms,  and  from  him  He  de- 
sires a  service  of  holy  love.  Let  us,  brethren,  recog- 
nize God  in  His  works,  and  let  us  render  Him  the 
praise  of  reverent,  devout,  and  appreciative  hearts. 

The   sea   announces    God's   supremacy  in   its   ac- 


"THE  SEA  IS  HIS."  157 

ceptance  of  man's  presence,  and  its  co-operation  in 
man's  work.  Man  uses  the  sea  by  permission.  He 
does  not  do  well  to  be  boastful.  Experience  has 
taught  him  to  respect  the  sea,  and  the  success  with 
which  he  navigates  will  be  measured  by  his  consid- 
eration of  its  laws.  Some  years  ago  I  passed  a  quiet 
summer  night  upon  a  vessel  within  the  shelter  of 
Montauk  Point.  An  old  sea  captain,  who  had  sailed 
in  charge  of  whaling  ships,  was  in  command.  As 
darkness  came  upon  us,  I  observed  that  he  carefully 
reefed  the  sails,  and  when  I  asked  the  reason  of  such 
a  precaution,  as  there  was  no  appearance  of  rising 
wind,  the  old  man  replied  :  "  We  can  not  tell  what 
may  happen  before  morning,  and  it  is  well  to  be  pre- 
pared for  any  change  of  weather."  The  sea  does  not 
permit  trifling.  It  co-operates  most  helpfully  in  the 
work  of  commerce,  if  commerce  will  obey  its  laws. 
But  otherwise  it  resists  with  violence  every  aggres- 
sion, and  punishes  with  severity  man's  acts  of  dis- 
obedience. You  or  I  are  at  liberty  to  build  our  ships 
as  we  please,  to  provision  them  as  we  please,  and  to 
sail  them  as  we  please  ;  and  the  sea  is  at  liberty  to 
meet  us  in  our  folly  and  to  dash  us  to  destruction. 
If  we  meet  destruction  as  the  reward  of  folly,  we  are 
culpable.  God  invites  us  to  use  the  sea,  but  we  must 
use  it  lawfully.  The  chart  and  the  compass  are  at 
our  service  ;  instruments  of  delicate  construction  to 
indicate  approaching  storms  are  within  our  reach  ; 


I58  "THE  SEA  IS  HIS." 

experience  has  given  us  a  record  of  many  successes 
and  of  many  failures.  If  we  propose  to  use  the  sea, 
we  must  exhibit  our  intelligence  and  our  prudence  in 
our  preparations  to  sail.  A  man  may  imagine  that 
he  is  a  hero,  when  he  ventures  to  cross  the  stormy 
Atlantic  in  a  little  open  boat,  but  most  men  will  think 
that  he  is  foolhardy!  The  Atlantic  has  been  crossed 
and  is  crossed  each  week  with  the  uniformity  of  a 
ferry  service,  but  skilled  navigators,  obedient  to  the 
laws  of  the  sea,  are  in  charge  of  the  service,  and  the 
wise  man  sails  with  those  who  have  approved  them- 
selves upon  the  sea. 

Is  there  not  a  thought  here  which  lays  hold  on 
eternal  life  ?  There  is  a  sea  before  us  all.  One  day — 
we  know  not  when — we  must  embark.  The  further 
shore  we  have  not  seen,  nor  have  we  seen  returning 
one  of  the  many  millions  of  our  race  who  have 
already  sailed  from  us  upon  this  wide  sea.  Yet  do 
we  believe  that  there  is  a  further  shore,  for  the  same 
reason  that  we,  who  have  never  left  this  continent  of 
ours,  believe  that,  looking  eastward,  we  are  facing  the 
shores  of  France  or  Portugal  or  Spain.  Of  those 
shores  we  have  often  heard.  Credible  witnesses  have 
spoken  of  their  interesting  scenes  and  attractive  life. 
We  are  somewhat  familiar  with  them,  although  we 
have  never  visited  them.  We  should  be  ashamed 
to  question  their  reality,  and  that  in  view  of  testi- 
mony.    Shall  we  accept  the  word  of  man,  and  then 


THE  SEA  IS  HIS." 


159 


shall  we  question  the  word  of  Him  who  spake  as 
never  man  spake?  Jesus  Christ  came  to  us  from 
those  blessed  shores  beyond  the  sea  of  time.  He 
has  described  the  land  which  He  calls  Heaven.  In 
every  particular  his  statements,  so  far  as  we  have 
been  able  to  prove  them,  have  commended  them- 
selves. He  is  the  truth.  His  character  is  perfec- 
tion. We  accept  what  He  has  said  with  joy :  we 
anticipate  the  glory  of  the  better  land.  It  is  there 
beyond  us.  We  hope  to  reach  it,  and  to  share  its 
blessedness. 

But  how  ?  How  shall  we  cross  the  sea  ?  Is  it  wise 
to  attempt  to  struggle  over  in  our  own  unaided 
strength  ?  Shall  we  be  borne  to  the  further  shore  if 
we  cast  ourselves  upon  the  waters  ?  Will  the  skiffs 
and  rafts  of  our  own  construction  hold  together  while 
we  attempt  the  voyage  ?  Or  are  we  acquainted  with  a 
method,  approved  by  long  experience,  commended 
by  the  authority  of  God,  to  which  we  may  commit  the 
interests  of  our  immortal  souls  ?  There  is  such  a 
method.  It  considers  the  requirements  of  the  voy- 
age. The  laws  of  this  great  sea  are  respected  by  it. 
It  has  proved  a  safe  transport  from  shore  to  shore. 
No  one  who  has  ever  accepted  its  safety  has  repented 
of  his  choice.  It  is  still  accessible.  We  are  invited 
to  intrust  ourselves  to  its  promises. 

This  divine  provision  is  the  Gospel  of  Jesus  Christ/ 
which  we  may  accept.     God  has  sent  His  Son  to  be 


l6o  "THE  SEA  IS  HIS." 

the  Saviour  of  the  world.  He  has  spoken  the  word 
of  life,  and  He  has  given  His  life  to  redeem  us.  "  The 
law  of  the  spirit  of  life  in  Christ  Jesus"  is  the  only- 
known  law  which  meets  the  requirements  of  human 
destiny.  If  we  accept  this  law,  if  we  live  by  it,  if 
we  make  it  our  dependence  for  time  and  for  eternity, 
we  shall  reach  Heaven  and  shall  secure  an  abundant 
entrance  there.  But  if  we  reject  this  law,  if  we  re- 
fuse to  live  by  it,  if  we  cast  it  from  us  as  our  de- 
pendence, we  can  have  no  hope  whatever  of  entering 
Heaven  and  of  being  happy  there.  This,  therefore, 
is  the  only  salvation,  and  it  is  offered  to  us  freely  in 
the  abundance  of  God's  love.  As  we  must  all  embark 
upon  this  sea,  whose  waters  wash  the  confines  of 
each  mortal  life,  should  we  not  make  early  provision 
for  the  voyage  ?  We  know  not  when  we  shall  be 
called  to  sail.  Let  us  be  ready  at  any  hour,  by  simple 
confidence  in  Jesus  Christ  our  Lord. 

And  what  is  true  of  this  interest  is  true  of  every 
other  interest  which  is  under  the  control  of  law. 
Obedience  means  success.  When  we  meet  the  terms 
of  the  law,  we  secure  the  promised  blessing.  There 
are  exceptions  to  this  rule,  but  they  only  confirm  the 
statement.  Obedience  is  a  necessity.  Life  must  be 
conducted  under  the  reign  of  law. 

Thus  the  sea  rebukes  our  pride.  We  can  not  boast 
'much,  although  we  have  accomplished  much.  We 
are  dependent,  always  dependent.    The  little  that  we 


"THE  SEA  IS  HIS."  161 

gain  we  hold  as  stewards,  and  the  little  that  we  do, 
we  do  by  co-operation.  God  alone  is  great.  We 
should  be  humble,  and  docile,  and  willing  always  to 
acknowledge  His  supremacy. 

And  can  we,  in  the  presence  of  the  sea,  cherish  an 
unbelieving  thought  ?  Can  we,  with  the  fool  of  the 
Psalmist's  day,  say  in  our  hearts,  "There  is  no  God  "? 
"The  sea  is  His,  and  He  made  it."  Its  testimony 
is  eloquent.  Not  only  do  we  wrong  God  when  we 
neglect  to  recognize  Him  and  give  Him  praise,  we 
also  wrong  ourselves.  For  life  can  not  be  rich 
and  full  and  noble  if  God  is  not  in  all  its  thoughts. 
The  men  of  the  sea  are  seldom  infidels.  "  They  see 
the  works  of  the  Lord,  and  His  wonders  in  the  deep." 
They  realize  that  they  are  in  His  hands,  and  in  their 
hours  of  danger  they  cry  aloud  unto  Him  for  help. 
Here  are  these  many  evidences  of  a  presence  whose 
control  is  omnipotence  and  whose  wisdom  is  perfect. 
That  presence  must  be  explained.  We  can  not  refer 
this  order,  these  delicate  adjustments,  this  magnifi- 
cent expanse  to  chance,  nor  can  we  feel  any  better 
satisfied  if  we  simply  talk  about  nature's  laws.  Laws 
are  not  operative.  There  must  be  a  lawgiver  and  an 
administrator  of  law.  Who  is  he?  How  shall  we 
name  him  ?  Shall  we  say  that  the  origin  of  all  things 
is  lost  in  the  dimness  of  eternity?  Shall  we  announce 
the  conviction  that  matter,  force,  and  motion  will 
account  for  what  is  visible  without  any  effort  to  ac- 


1 62  "THE  SEA  IS  HIS." 

count  for  matter,  force,  and  motion  ?  Or  shall  we  read 
the  record  of  Holy  Scripture  and  accept  its  announce- 
ment that  "  in  the  beginning  God  created  the  heaven 
and  the  earth "  ?  Here  is  a  resting-place.  In  God 
thought  finds  an  adequate  explanation  of  things 
which  do  appear,  affection  receives  the  recompense 
of  confidence,  and  the  service  of  life  opens  grandly 
with  a  divine  interpretation.  "  Every  house  is 
builded  by  some  man,  but  He  that  built  all  things 
is  God."  So  we  raise  our  heads  to  look  upon  the 
stars,  and  behold  "  the  heavens  declare  God's  glory 
and  the  firmament  showeth  His  handiwork";  we 
walk  abroad  through  the  fields,  and  every  plant,  every 
flower,  every  insect,  every  bird,  adds  to  our  estimate 
that  "  the  hand  that  made  us  is  divine ";  we  stand 
upon  the  shore  and  watch  the  waves  and  hear  the 
pounding  of  the  surf,  and  rejoice  to  believe  that  u  the 
sea  is  His,  and  He  made  it."  For  we  have  learned  that 
He  who  "  telleth  the  number  of  the  stars,"  that  He 
"  who  clothes  the  grass  of  the  field,"  that  He  who 
watches  the  sparrow's  flight,  that  He  who  layeth  up 
the  depth  in  store-houses  is  our  God,  to  whom  we 
look  with  the  confidence  of  filial  love,  who  has  made 
known  to  us  His  counsel,  who  has  prepared  for  us  a 
home,  who  has  offered  us  a  salvation,  and  who  saves 
us  by  His  grace. 


IX. 


THE  PAST  IN  THE  PRESENT  AND  THE 
FUTURE. 

"  He  shall  call  to  the  heavens  from  above,  atid  to 
the  earth,  that  He  may  judge  His  people." — 
Ps.  1.  4- 

The  heavens  and  the  earth  constitute  the  empire 
of  God.  He  reigns  over  the  entire  universe.  No 
interest  is  too  insignificant  for  His  regard,  none  is  too 
vast  for  His  control.  The  flight  of  the  sparrow  is 
observed  ;  the  cry  of  the  young  raven  is  noticed  ;  the 
grass  of  the  field  is  clothed  :  and  at  the  same  time 
God  telleth  the  number  of  the  stars,  and  calleth  them 
all  by  their  names ;  He  ruleth  the  raging  of  the  sea, 
and  when  the  waves  thereof  arise  He  stilleth  them  ; 
He  doeth  according  to  His  will  in  the  army  of  Heaven 
and  among  the  inhabitants  of  the  earth. 

In    His   government   God  is   not   affected  by  the 

limitations  of  time.     "  One  day  is  with  the  Lord  as  a 

thousand  years,  and  a  thousand  years  as  one  day." 

To  the  divine  intelligence,  the  present,  the  past,  and 

the  future  must  be  an  eternal  now.     A  single  glance 

of  omniscience  compasses  the  entire  field  of  observa- 

(163) 


1 64      THE  PAST,   THE  PRESENT,   THE  FUTURE. 

tion.  The  end  is  declared  from  the  beginning. 
Events  record  themselves  to  serve  the  purposes  of 
judgment.  There  can  be  no  mistakes.  Strict  and 
impartial  justice  will  be  dispensed  to  every  human 
being,  when  the  Book  of  God's  Remembrance  shall 
discover  its  contents. 

Meanwhile  the  present  is  steadily  encroaching  upon 
the  future,  and  as  steadily  adding  to  the  past.  The 
car  in  which  we  are  riding  upon  the  invisible  track  of 
destiny  is  the  present,  whose  advance  acquaints  us 
with  the  thought  of  the  future,  and  leaves  behind  our 
impression  upon  the  life  of  the  past.  We  are  con- 
stantly moving.  The  mile-stones  of  the  journey  dis- 
appear, one  by  one,  after  we  have  approached  them. 
The  end  is  soon  reached  ;  and  the  car  in  which  we 
ride  becomes  as  invisible  to  mortal  eyes  as  is  the  track 
which  must  still  determine  our  course.  Looking 
back,  we  have  the  past,  and  that  is  historic ;  looking 
around,  we  have  the  present,  and  that  is  always  chang- 
ing ;  looking  ahead,  we  contemplate  the  future,  and 
that  has  no  brightness,  if  it  is  not  illuminated  by  the 
promise  of  God. 

A  theme  for  the  closing  Sabbath  of  the  year  thus 
announces  itself,  and  we  may  hope  for  instruction  as 
we  consider  the  relation  of  the  past  to  the  present 
and  the  future. 

ist.  The  present  and  the  future  rest  upon  and  are 
the  expressions  of  the  past.     "  Other  men  labored," 


THE  PAST,   THE  PRESENT,   THE  FUTURE.      165 

the  Master  said,  "  and  ye  are  entered  into  their  labors." 
No  generation  can  be  independent  of  the  preceding 
generations.  As  David  collected  a  large  part  of  the 
materials  with  which  Solomon  built  the  Temple,  so 
the  energy  and  intelligence  of  former  years  bear  fruit 
in  the  grand  results  which  are  now  apparent.  Parents 
toil  and  endure  all  manner  of  privations  in  order  that 
they  may  educate  the  sons  and  daughters  who  become 
illustrious.  They  live  in  their  children.  Through 
their  services  to  humanity  and  to  God,  they  serve 
their  day  and  generation.  How  quick  we  were  to 
recognize  this  sacred  relation,  when  the  lamented 
Garfield  drew  to  himself  the  sympathy  of  the  world 
in  those  weary  days  of  heroic  suffering !  The  life  of 
his  mother,  a  humble  woman,  who  had  struggled 
bravely  with  adversity,  made  his  life  a  splendid 
reality.  Hereditary  traits  and  ancestral  conditions 
have  much  to  do  with  success  or  failure.  The  pure 
blood  of  virtue  and  temperance  means  health  and 
vigor,  sobriety  and  industry  ;  while  the  vicious  blood 
of  lust  and  cunning  and  tyranny  will  record  its  pres- 
ence in  the  narratives  of  many  evil  deeds.  Why  does 
Europe  dread  the  supremacy  of  the  Bourbons  ;  and 
why  does  France  shrink  from  accepting  the  authority 
of  the  Bonapartes  ?  Why  does  crime  perpetuate 
itself  from  generation  to  generation  ;  and  why  are 
the  children  of  the  righteous  so  often  found  in  the 
places  of  their  fathers  ?     The  roots  of  our  lives  may 


1 66      THE  PAST,  THE  PRESENT,  THE  FUTURE. 

be  traced  to  a  great  distance.  The  beginnings  of 
present  results  are  often  visible  in  the  early  centuries. 
Our  lives  are  an  inheritance.  We  have  received  a 
legacy  of  blessing,  which  we  are  expected  to  use ;  and 
in  the  using  we  are  expected  to  increase  ;  and  with 
its  increase  we  are  commanded  to  transmit.  How 
seldom  do  we  realize  this  !  The  prodigality  of  the 
spendthrift  squanders  the  fortune  which  his  ancestors 
accumulated,  so  that  there  is  nothing  left  for  those 
who  are  to  come  after  him,  while  his  dissipation  ex- 
hausts the  physical  resources  which  he  has  also 
received,  so  that  his  descendants  are  a  puny,  sickly, 
useless  race.  This  law  of  heredity  imposes  fearful 
demands.  It  makes  life  intensely  solemn.  "  None 
of  us  liveth  to  himself."  The  generation  following 
may  rise  up  to  call  us  blessed,  or  else  may  appear  to 
condemn  a  selfish  disregard  of  our  future,  which  be- 
comes their  present. 

A  survey  of  the  past  in  its  relation  to  the  present 
can  hardly  fail  to  impress  a  thoughtful  mind  with  a 
sense  of  dependence.  Our  common  utensils  are  the 
implements  of  a  former  science.  We  do  our  work 
every  day  with  tools  which  have  only  been  produced 
by  patient  thought.  Discovery  and  invention  keep 
pace  with  the  requirements  of  the  age — never  very 
far  ahead,  and  yet  never  behind.  We  wondered  once 
what  we  should  do  for  fuel,  as  the  forests  were  disap- 
pearing under  the  stroke  of  the  woodman's  axe.   Then 


THE  PAST,  THE  PRESENT,   THE  FUTURE.      167 

inexhaustible  supplies  of  coal  were  announced,  and  a 
method  of  burning  coal  was  suggested.  The  farthing 
rush-light  was  succeeded  by  the  more  brilliant  oil- 
lamp,  and  that  by  the  brighter  gas-jet,  and  a  flame 
which  is  fed  by  springs  in  the  earth  ;  and  now  elec- 
tricity is  prepared  to  illuminate  our  paths  and  to  cheer 
our  abodes.  Each  new  thought  is  quickly  appro- 
priated and  becomes  a  part  of  our  working  capital. 
We  begin  life  upon  an  advanced  plane.  We  handle 
the  mysteries  of  other  years  as  the  science  of  things 
familiar.  Our  possibilities  are  greatly  enlarged.  Yet 
we  can  never  forget  our  debt.  Constantly  a  voice  is 
heard — and  it  is  more  impressive  far  than  the  voice  of 
the  slave  which  sought  to  restrain  the  pride  of  the 
Roman  conqueror  by  saying  in  the  hour  of  his  triumph  : 
"  Thou  too  art  a  man  !  "  u  Thou  too  art  a  man  !  " — 
a  voice  is  heard  asking:  "Who  maketh  thee  to  differ 
from  another?  and  what  hast  thou  that  thou  didst 
not  receive?"  Boasting  is  excluded.  Humility  is 
commended.  Our  vantage-ground  of  opportunity  is 
simply  the  splendid  platform  of  past  achievements. 
All  literature,  all  science,  all  art,  all  religion  join  in 
the  tribute  of  praise  which  commemorates  the 
diligence  of  former  times.  The  present  is  but  a 
single  tier  of  a  splendid  pyramid.  It  rests  upon  and 
springs  out  of  the  many  tiers  which  are  beneath  it. 
We  can  not  forget.  We  are  fellow-laborers.  The 
work  is  common  to  us  all.     Shall  we  not  rejoice  to- 


1 68      THE  PAST,   THE  PRESENT,   THE  FUTURE. 

gether,  by  and  by,  when  the  capstone  is  lifted  to  its 
position  amidst  shouts  of  "grace,"  "  grace,"  unto  it? 
But  a  consciousness  like  this  will  surely  assist  us  in 
estimating  the  importance  of  our  own  place  and 
work.  We  are  now  the  active  generation.  Our  pres- 
ent will  very  soon  become  another  past.  There  is  a 
future,  which  must  be  affected  by  what  we  are  and 
by  what  we  do.  In  building  a  tower,  careless  masons 
will  sometimes  introduce  a  course  of  soft  brick  or 
stone,  whose  presence  will  become  evident,  when  the 
weight  of  the  other  courses  begins  to  be  felt.  His- 
tory is  acquainted  with  similar  periods — periods  like 
the  age  of  Charles  the  Second,  which  succeeded  the 
stern,  heroic  administration  of  Cromwell.  They  are 
weak  and  contemptible.  No  vigorous  policies  are 
outlined,  and  no  useful  deeds  are  recorded.  Let  us 
elevate  the  period  of  our  influence  and  control  above 
the  plane  of  the  commonplace !  We  should  leave 
the  world  better  than  we  found  it.  The  unfinished 
problems  are  for  our  solution.  Let  us  know  what 
they  are ;  let  us  have  convictions  respecting  them ; 
and  let  us  give  our  talents  and  our  time  freely  on 
their  behalf.  This  is  just  what  others  have  done  in 
other  years.  May  we  not  imitate  them  ?  There  are 
the  unsettled  questions  of  the  war,  questions  pertain- 
ing to  the  freedmen  and  their  rights.  There  are  the 
questions  which  affect  the  Indians.  There  is  the  ab- 
sorbing question  of  Temperance.     There  is  the  Mor- 


THE  PAST;  THE  PRESENT,  THE  FUTURE.     169 

mon  question.  There  is  the  question  of  labor  and 
capital,  and  the  question  of  charity.  We  need  not 
fear  that  we  shall  exhaust  the  supply.  That  seems 
to  be  limitless.  There  are  questions  enough  and 
work  enough  for  us  all.  Let  us  not  be  idle.  Let 
us  not  be  indifferent.  "  Brethren,  let  every  man 
wherein  he  is  called,  therein  abide  with  God." 
"  Whatsoever  thy  hand  findeth  to  do,  do  it  with 
thy  might."  "There  are  diversities  of  gifts,  but 
the  same  spirit.  And  there  are  differences  of  admin- 
istrations, but  the  same  Lord."  We  are  making  his- 
tory. Our  simple  deeds  are  more  important  than 
they  seem.  God  observes  us.  There  is  encourage- 
ment in  His  recognition.  Who  can  describe  the  glory 
which  is  wrapped  up  within  the  benediction  :  "  Well 
done,  good  and  faithful  servant :  thou  hast  been 
faithful  over  a  few  things,  I  will  make  thee  ruler  over 
many  things  :  enter  thou  into  the  joy  of  thy  Lord  !  " 

2d.  The  past  illustrates  the  principles  which  must 
be  operative  in  the  present  and  the  future.  Life  has 
always  been  under  the  control  of  these  principles. 
Even  when  men  have  been  ignorant  of  their  presence 
and  activity,  they  have  exerted  their  control.  For 
the  discovery  of  a  principle  is  not  its  origination. 
The  great  principle  of  gravitation  has  been  at  work 
from  the  beginning,  and  yet  not  until  Sir  Isaac 
Newton  expounded  it  did  science  appreciate  the  ex- 
tent and  character  of  its  influence.  The  divine  and 
8 


i;0     THE  PAST,   THE  PRESENT,  THE  FUTURE. 

holy  principle  of  love  has  always  been  true,  and  yet 
war  continues  to  desolate  the  earth,  and  enmities  and 
strifes  abound.  It  is  a  principle  of  God's  govern- 
ment, that  "  righteousness  exalteth  a  nation,"  and 
yet  the  prevalence  of  unrighteous  authority  is  a  dis- 
tressing spectacle  in  every  age.  A  careful  scrutiny 
will  surely  discover  these  grand  principles  which  have 
conditioned  human  life.  Now  that  we  are  searching 
for  them,  we  shall  make  their  acquaintance,  and 
shall  profit  by  their  instruction.  Just  as  the  astron- 
omer works  back  into  time  and  space  from  the  op- 
portunity of  each  new  discovery  of  planet,  star,  or 
nebula  so  may  we  inquire  diligently  of  the  past  in 
order  that  we  may  learn  the  lessons  thus  presented. 
History  moves  in  great  circles,  but  the  circles  are 
spiral.  We  never  return  to  the  same  point.  Our 
apparent  return  marks  a  real  advance.  We  are  ever 
to  remember  that  we  are  using  the  principles  which 
made  the  past.  They  have  already  been  illustrated 
many  times ;  and  we  have  them,  in  our  turn,  for 
illustration. 

This  should  be  the  teaching  of  experience,  which, 
alas,  impresses  very  few  minds.  We  are  not  ready  to 
accept  the  testimony  which  comes  to  us  from  the 
wisdom  and  folly  of  preceding  years.  We  must  ex- 
periment for  ourselves.  What  progress  we  should 
make,  if  we  should  use  to  the  best  advantage  the  ex- 
perience of  other  men  !     How  a  father  would  rejoice, 


THE  PAST,   THE  PRESENT,   THE  FUTURE.     171 

if  he  could  feel  sure  that  his  son  would  avoid  the 
mistakes  which  have  crippled  his  own  life !  How 
glad  a  mother's  heart  would  be  if  she  could  know 
that  her  daughter  would  start  out  in  life  from  the 
stand-point  of  the  experience  which  she  herself  has 
gained  and  also  expounded  !  But  no,  it  seems  to  be 
impossible  for  us  to  learn  of  the  past.  We  are  not 
warned,  as  we  should  be,  nor  are  we  encouraged  as 
we  should  be.  Yet  the  past  is  an  object-lesson,  which 
God  holds  up  for  our  instruction. 

I  should  be  quite  willing  to  submit  the  whole  sub- 
ject of  the  advantage  or  the  disadvantage  of  religion 
to  the  teaching  of  experience.  What  does  experience 
say  ?  We  have  this  year  observed  many  of  the  true 
disciples  of  Christ — friends,  whose  consistency  has 
been  most  beautiful.  They  have  walked  with  God. 
Some  of  them  have  endured  great  spiritual  conflicts, 
contending  desperately  with  temptation,  or  battling 
with  the  ills  of  misfortune,  or  struggling  to  vanquish 
death.  We  have  watched  them  closely.  They  have 
been  sustained,  and  they  have  been  victorious.  Out 
of  the  year,  they  have  brought  far  more  than  we 
have.  They  are  truly  rich,  because  they  are  "  rich 
toward  God."  He  has  been  with  them  to  strengthen, 
and  to  cheer,  and  to  bless  them  in  many  ways.  Can 
we  question  this?  Is  not  their  experience  genuine? 
If  so,  may  we  not  expect  a  similar  experience,  if  we 
place  ourselves   under  the  influence  of  the  principle 


172      THE  PAST,   THE  PRESENT,   THE  FUTURE. 

of  grace?  In  other  words,  will  not  religion  do  for  us 
as  much  as  it  has  done  for  them  ?  Certainly  it  will. 
"  God  is  no  respecter  of  persons."  The  promise  is 
to  us  as  much  as  to  them.  We  may  enjoy  these 
priceless  blessings.  Why  then  do  we  fail  ?  Why  are 
we  without  them?  Is  God  to  blame?  Or  does  not 
the  fault  lie  with  us?  Yes !  We  do  not  profit  by  ex- 
perience. The  opportunity  is  ours.  But  we  have 
not  sought  to  embrace  it.  Our  Christian  friends,  liv- 
ing here  beside  us,  are  our  condemnation,  just  as  the 
fertile  acres  of  the  faithful  husbandman  are  the  con- 
demnation of  his  idle  neighbor's  wretched  farm.  We 
may  use  the  means.  Repentance  is  purs.  Faith  is 
ours.  Prayer  is  ours.  God's  Word  is  ours.  The 
Saviour  is  ours.  And  the  invitation  reads:  "Who- 
soever will,  let  him  take  the  water  of  life  freely." 
Ah !  we  are  losing  the  very  best  happiness  of  life,  if 
we  are  losing  the  precious  blessings  of  the  Gospel. 
The  past  admonishes  us.  We  can  not  hope  to  hear 
God's  invitation  forever.  The  years  of  grace  come  to 
an  end.  God's  Spirit  will  not  always  strive  with  man. 
We  may  be  left  to  despair,  even  while  life  is  pro- 
longed. The  angels  look  down  upon  no  object  which 
is  more  pitiable  than  a  God-forsaken  man.  The  Holy 
Spirit  has  been  withdrawn.  He  is  past  feeling.  The 
man  is  dead  in  sin ;  and  for  this  death  there  is  no 
resurrection.  May  God,  in  His  infinite  mercy,  keep 
us  all  from  this  misery  of   despair,  by  bringing  us 


THE  PAST,   THE  PRESENT,   THE  FUTURE.     173 

right  speedily  to  a  saving  knowledge  of  our  Lord 
Jesus  Christ!  But  even  with  a  degree  of  sensitive- 
ness, we  may  still  fail  of  securing  everlasting  life. 
For  death  may  come  upon  us  unawares.  As  we  re- 
view the  events  of  a  single  year,  how  many  unex- 
pected deaths  we  encounter.  This  acquaintance  met 
with  an  accident.  He  was  taken,  and  we  were 
left.  Another  fell  back  in  his  chair,  and  expired. 
He  was  taken,  and  we  were  left.  Still  another 
was  absent  from  business  for  a  day  or  two,  and 
then  we  observed  the  announcement  of  his  death. 
He  was  taken,  and  we  were  left.  A  few  only  of  the 
large  number  who  have  passed  away  had  a  clear 
recognition  of  the  approach  of  God's  messenger. 
Death  usually  comes  as  a  thief  in  the  night.  Seldom 
is  there  time  for  intelligent  preparation  after  that 
coming  has  been  made  known.  The  mind,  enfeebled 
by  sickness  or  clouded  by  delirium,  seems  not  to  have 
the  ability  to  grasp  the  truth  of  salvation.  At  the 
very  best,  we  dismiss  such  penitents  with  the  sad 
feeling  that  our  hope  for  them  is  only  a  "  perhaps." 
They  have  been  sowing  the  wind,  and  we  have  many 
fears  that  they  will  reap  the  whirlwind. 

For  there  is  a  stern  law  of  requital,  which,  for  good 
or  ill,  the  past  illustrates.  "  The  Lord  God  of  recom- 
penses shall  surely  requite."  "A  man's  life  comes 
back  upon  him."  No  power  but  that  of  the  Gospel 
can  arrest  the  operation  of  this  law,  or  convert  into 


174      THE  PAST,   THE  PRESENT,   THE  FUTURE. 

helpful  chastisements  its  punitive  expressions.  Even 
the  holy  Apostle  Paul  bowed  his  head  and  accepted 
meekly  the  sufferings  which  he  believed  that  he  de- 
served, because  he  had  persecuted  the  Church  of 
Christ.  His  was  not  an  easy  Christian  life.  After  he 
had  breathed  out  threatenings  and  slaughter  against 
the  disciples  of  the  Lord,  he  himself  became  ac- 
quainted with  experiences,  which  he  thus  described  : 
"  Five  times  received  I  forty  stripes  save  one.  Thrice 
was  I  beaten  with  rods,  once  was  I  stoned,  thrice  I 
suffered  shipwreck,  a  night  and  a  day  I  have  been  in 
the  deep.  In  journeyings  often,  in  perils  of  waters, 
in  perils  of  robbers,  in  perils  by  mine  own  country- 
men, in  perils  by  the  heathen,  in  perils  in  the  city, 
in  perils  in  the  wilderness,  in  perils  in  the  sea,  in 
perils  among  false  brethren,  in  weariness  and  pain- 
fulness,  in  watchings  often,  in  hunger  and  thirst,  in 
fastings  often,  in  cold  and  nakedness."  What  a  ret- 
ribution !  What  a  harvest  after  the  sowing  of  tears 
and  blood  !  "  This  law,"  it  is  said,*  "  keeps  things 
equal.  If  any  man  could  mingle  bitter  cups  for 
others,  and  never  be  compelled  to  drain  their  dregs 
himself,  he  would  soon  become  a  devil.  God  shows 
him  that  his  turn  is  coming.  Every  blow  he  strikes 
will  be  re-delivered  upon  himself ;  every  pain  he  in- 
flicts upon  others  will  sting  his  own  heart ;   every 


♦Joseph  Parker,  "Pulpit  Notes,"  p.  65. 


THE  PAST,   THE  PRESENT,   THE  FUTURE.      175 

harsh  word  will  come  back  to  him  ;  his  mockery,  his 
pitilessness,  his  selfishness  will  return  to  him,  and 
vex  him  like  a  plague  commanded  of  God.  All  his- 
tory has  shown  this."  Speaking  with  the  solemnity 
of  one  of  the  ancient  prophets,  Mr.  Lincoln  used 
such  words  as  these  in  his  second  Inaugural  Address : 
"  Fondly  do  we  hope,  fervently  do  we  pray,  that  this 
mighty  scourge  of  war  may  speedily  pass  away.  Yet 
if  God  wills  that  it  continue  until  all  the  wealth  piled 
by  the  bondman's  two  hundred  and  fifty  years  of  un- 
requited toil  shall  be  sunk,  and  until  every  drop  of 
blood  drawn  with  the  lash  shall  be  paid  by  another 
drawn  with  the  sword,  as  was  said  three  thousand 
years  ago,  so  still  it  must  be  said,  that  the  judgments 
of  the  Lord  are  true  and  righteous  altogether."  Is 
it  safe  then  to  do  wrong?  Is  a  violation  of  law 
traced  upon  the  waters,  or  written  on  the  air,  or  cast 
into  the  ground  like  seed  ?  The  recompense  is  cer- 
tain.    God  is  just. 

But  there  is  another  side  to  the  operation  of  this 
law,  and  a  side  which  is  most  pleasant  to  contem- 
plate— "  Whosoever  shall  give  to  drink  unto  one  of 
these  little  ones  a  cup  of  cold  water  only  in  the  name 
of  a  disciple,  verily  I  say  unto  you  he  shall  in  nowise 
lose  his  reward."  "  Give  and  it  shall  be  given  unto 
you  ;  good  measure,  pressed  down,  and  shaken  to- 
gether, and  running  over  shall  men  give  into  your 
bosom  ;    for  with  the   same   measure  that  ye  mete 


176      THE  PAST,   THE  PRESENT,   THE  FUTURE. 

withal,  it  shall  be  measured  to  you  again."  How 
interesting  and  how  instructive  are  these  illustra- 
tions !  They  are  the  bright  gems  of  the  past.  We 
admire  them  as  we  observe  the  respect  which  is 
rendered  to  a  useful  life,  or  the  sympathy  which  goes 
out  to  an  honored  benefactor,  or  the  blessing  which 
attends  the  fidelity  of  children  to  parents.  There  is 
a  gracious  return.  No  investments  pay  such  good 
dividends  as  do  kind  deeds. 

Thus  the  past  repeats  itself  in  the  present  and  out- 
lines the  future.  The  histories  which  the  Bible  con- 
tains anticipate  all  possible  experiences — the  varieties 
of  joy  and  sorrow,  of  hope  and  disappointment,  of 
love  and  hate.  Rachel,  weeping  for  her  children,  has 
her  counterpart  in  the  mother  whose  tears  were  fresh 
yesterday,  and  David,  lamenting  Absalom's  rebellion 
and  death,  carries  the  sad  heart  of  a  father  whose 
son  is  a  modern  prodigal ;  Simeon,  whose  vision  greets 
the  infant  Redeemer,  expresses  the  joy  which  is  still 
known  when  faith  beholds  Him  who  is  mighty  to 
save,  and  Mary  of  Bethany,  whose  gratitude  selects 
the  offering  of  the  costly  spikenard,  anticipates  the 
devotion  which  in  every  age  has  been  constrained  by 
the  love  of  Christ ;  Hezekiah,  with  the  letter  of  his 
enemy  spread  out  before  the  Lord,  is  earthly  power 
taking  counsel  of  omnipotence,  and  Daniel,  kneeling 
in  his  chamber  with  his  windows  open  toward  Jeru- 
salem, is  the  statesman  on  his  knees  in  prayer;  Jesus 


THE  PAST,   THE  PRESENT,  THE  FUTURE,     jyy 

looking  into  the  face  of  the  young  ruler,  and  loving 
him,  is  the  perpetual  assurance  of  God's  tender  inter- 
est, and  Jesus  calmly  addressing  the  widow  of^  Nain 
is  still  the  hope  of  many  who  are  in  deep  grief.  The 
Bible  can  never  lose  its  interest  so  long  as  heart 
answereth  to  heart  and  the  experiences  of  the  race 
are  common. 

And  we  know  that  in  the  future — the  future  of 
this  world,  and  the  future  of  those  other  worlds — the 
two — these  principles  will  still  be  operative.  "  He 
that  is  unjust,  let  him  be  unjust  still ;  and  he  which 
is  filthy,  let  him  be  filthy  still  ;  and  he  that  is  right- 
eous, let  him  be  righteous  still ;  and  he  that  is  holy, 
let  him  be  holy  still."  The  development  of  iniquity, 
what  must  that  be?  The  development  of  holiness, 
what  must  that  be?  Hell  and  Heaven  !  Everlasting 
punishment  and  life  eternal ! 

3d.  The  events  of  the  past  move  on  before  the 
present  to  prepare  for  the  judgment  of  the  future. 
Those  events  are  awaiting.  They  must  confront  us. 
We  shall  have  to  explain  them.  Our  use  of  the  tele- 
graph gives  us  some  conception  of  the  rapidity  of 
these  transmissions.  Some  time  ago  a  crime  was  com- 
mitted in  England,  whose  punishment  was  promptly 
secured  by  the  aid  of  the  electric  spark.  Along  the 
wires  there  flashed  a  message  one  evening  to  this 
effect :  "  A  murder  has  just  been  committed  at  Salt- 
hill,  and  the  suspected  murderer  was  seen  to  take  a 
8* 


178      THE  PAST,   THE  PRESENT,  THE  FUTURE. 

first-class  ticket  for  London  by  the  train  which  left 

S at  7  145.     He  is  in  the  garb  of  a  Quaker."     In 

the  compartment  of  the  railway  carriage  the  guilty 
man  sat  with  his  fellow-travellers,  who  had  no  idea 
whatever  that  he  was  a  murderer.  The  darkness  of 
the  night  seemed  to  be  favoring  his  escape.  He 
reached  the  Paddington  Station  in  safety,  and  entered 
an  omnibus,  which  soon  carried  him  into  the  intri- 
cacies of  the  narrow  London  streets,  where  he  might 
expect  to  hide.  He  did  not  know  that  an  officer  of 
the  law,  in  disguise,  was  riding  with  him,  and  con- 
stantly watching  him.  Leaving  the  omnibus  at  the 
Bank  of  England,  he  crossed  street  after  street  until 
he  reached  an  obscure  lodging-house  in  Scott's  Yard. 
Hardly  had  the  door  closed  behind  him  when  it  was 
opened  by  the  officer,  who  had  followed  him  step  by 
step,  and  the  question  was  asked  :  "  Haven't  you  just 

come  from  S ?"     The  record  of  the  crime  had 

preceded  him.  He  was  found  guilty,  and  then  pun- 
ished. More  rapid  than  the  lightning's  flash  and  more 
unerring  than  any  methods  of  telegraphy  is  the  dis- 
cernment of  God.  Even  our  secret  sins  appear  in  the 
light  of  His  countenance.  "All  things  are  naked  and 
opened  unto  the  eyes  of  Him  with  whom  we  have 
to  do."  There  is  no  escape.  "  Whither,"  asks  the 
Psalmist,  "  shall  I  go  from  Thy  Spirit  ?  or  whither 
shall  I  flee  from  Thy  presence  ?  If  I  ascend  up  into 
Heaven,  Thou  art  there ;  if  I  make  my  bed  in  Hell, 


THE  PAST,   THE  PRESENT   THE  FUTURE. 


179 


behold  Thou  art  there.  If  I  take  the  wings  of  the 
morning,  and  dwell  in  the  uttermost  parts  of  the  sea, 
even  there  shall  Thy  hand  lead  me,  and  Thy  right 
hand  shall  hold  me.  If  I  say,  surely  the  darkness 
shall  cover  me,  even  the  night  shall  be  light  about 
me.  Yea,  the  darkness  hideth  not  from  Thee ;  but 
the  night  shineth  as  the  day ;  the  darkness  and  the 
light  are  both  alike  to  Thee."  Thus  we  live  these 
lives  of  ours.  Each  event' is  sent  forward  as  it  oc- 
curs— the  good  and  the  bad  alike.  The  past  antici- 
pates the  present  and  joins  the  future.  The  old 
forgotten  self  reappears  and  demands  judgment.  The 
entire  life  awaits  each  one  of  us  at  the  bar  of  God. 
What  an  accumulation  of  happiness  as  well  as  of 
misery !  What  bright  lights  upon  the  horizon  as 
well  as  heavy  clouds  !  The  entire  life  is  there  ;  and 
the  soul,  the  man  himself,  is  steadily  advancing  to 
meet  his  own  record. 

An  essay  of  an  astronomical  character  was  once 
written  to  emphasize  the  nature  of  this  sublime  pos- 
sibility. It  is  well  known  that  light  moves  through 
space  with  a  uniform  velocity,  and  it  is  also  known 
that  many  stars  are  so  distant  that  thousands  of  our 
years  would  be  required  for  a  ray  of  light  to  proceed 
from  them  on  its  journey  to  our  earth.  Indeed,  when 
we  see  the  light,  the  star  may  long  ago  have  been 
obliterated  ;  for  the  light  which  we  see  may  have 
left  the  star  before  the  creation  of  man.     Using  this 


180      THE  PAST,   THE  PRESENT,  THE  EUTURE. 

fact  of  astronomy,  Dr.  Hugh  MacMillan,  in  a  recent 
publication,*  says :  that  "  the  visible  record  of  much 
that  happened  on  our  earth  is  still  travelling  by  means 
of  light  through  the  regions  of  space ;  as  the  stars 
recede,  so  time  recedes  with  them,  and  an  actual  and 
true  representation  of  any  event  may  be  seen  in  some 
star.  We  may  be  looking  unconsciously  any  night  at 
some  orb  in  the  sky  from  which  if  we  could  transport 
ourselves  thither,  and  were  endowed  with  the  neces- 
sary optical  power,  we  should  be  able  to  see  our 
Saviour  walking  upon  the  Sea  of  Galilee,  hanging 
upon  the  cross,  or  ascending  to  Heaven  from  the 
Mount  of  Olives.  And  passing  as  swiftly  as  a  ray 
of  light  from  a  star  of  the  twelfth  magnitude  to  our 
sun,  the  whole  history  of  the  world,  from  the  time  of 
Abraham  to  the  present  day,  would  pass  in  review  be- 
fore our  eyes  in  the  space  of  a  single  hour."  What 
a  spectacle  !  What  a  conception  of  the  consciousness 
of  God  who  "  shall  call  to  the  heavens  from  above, 
and  to  the  earth,  that  He  may  judge  His  people !  " 

Then  comes  memory  with  its  personal  announce- 
ments. It  is  probable  that  memory  retains  all  that 
is  given  to  it.  We  may  seem  to  forget  a  great  many 
things  which  presently  appear  as  our  condemnation 
or  acquittal.  One  of  the  Books  of  God  is  undoubt- 
edly the  memory  of  man.     What  a  day  will  that  be, 


Two  Worlds  are  Ours,"  p.  287. 


THE  PAST,   THE  PRESENT,   THE  FUTURE.      181 

when  the  dead,  small  and  great,  stand  before  God, 
and  the  books  are  opened  ! 

Life  is  solemn.  We  can  not  make  it  a  pastime,  or 
a  farce.  For  even  the  folly,  which  trifles  with  life 
and  opportunity,  is  impressively  solemn.  To  waste 
life,  to  squander  splendid  opportunities,  to  flit  to  and 
fro  like  the  moth  around  the  candle  whose  flame  is 
soon  to  capture  and  consume  the  silly  one,  to  degrade 
intellect  by  vice,  to  spend  strength  in  the  service  of 
iniquity, — what  is  all  this  but  a  lamentable  abuse  of 
the  choicest  blessings  of  God  !  And  if  we  have 
grasped  the  thought  of  a  noble  life,  if  we  have  be- 
come possessed  of  a  holy  inspiration,  if  we  are  moving 
in  harmony  with  the  divine  purpose,  if  we  are  laying 
up  treasure  in  Heaven — what  is  all  this  but  a  glorious 
use  of  sacred  privileges  ! 

But  if  life  is  solemn,  should  we  not  give  heed  to  the 
approved  lessons  of  experience?  How  shall  we  learn 
to  live  if  we  are  not  taught,  and  where  shall  we  find 
a  better  teacher  than  Jesus  Christ,  who  speaks  through 
the  experience  of  centuries?  His  requirements  are 
few  and  simple,  and  they  are  all  good.  You  will 
enjoy  the  remaining  years  of  life  more,  you  will  ac- 
complish more,  you  will  send  on  to  the  future  more 
happy  events  to  await  your  coming,  if  you  recognize 
Jesus  Christ  as  your  Teacher,  and  become  in  all  things 
His  disciple.  Do  you  question  this  ?  If  not,  then 
seek  Him  while  He  may  be  found. 


1 82      THE  PAST,   THE  PRESENT,  THE  FUTURE. 

Then  we  secure  the  blessedness  of  overcoming  the 
condemnation  of  the  past  by  the  grace  which  Jesus 
Christ  affords  in  the  present,  and  the  glory  which  He 
offers  for  the  future.  For  "there  is,  therefore,  now 
no  condemnation  to  them  which  are  in  Christ  Jesus." 
Where  sin  abounds,  grace  does  much  more  abound. 
Conscious  as  we  are  of  sin, — and  who  is  not  ? — we  are 
also  conscious  that  our  Saviour  has  delivered  us  from 
the  threatenings  of  all  sin.  For  His  sake  we  are 
justified.  In  His  name  we  are  blessed.  Through 
Him  we  secure  the  peace  of  God  which  passeth  all 
understanding. 

Therefore,  His  name  is  upon  our  lips,  as  we  close 
this  year,  and  as  we  look  forward  to  still  another. 
The  past  awaits  us  in  the  future  ;  but  He  is  able  by 
His  grace  to  triumph  over  all  its  condemnations,  and 
having  preserved  us  blameless  to  present  us  faultless 
before  the  presence  of  His  glory  with  exceeding  joy. 
Come  what  may,  we  are  safe  in  Him.  For  if  in  the 
universe  there  is  one  abode  of  perfect  purity,  of  per- 
fect love,  of  perfect  peace,  Jesus  Christ  has  that  for 
His  residence,  and  He  has  said :  "  I  go  to  prepare  a 
place  for  you."  "  I  will  come  again  and  receive  you 
unto  myself,  that  where  I  am  there  ye  may  be  also." 


X. 

DISTRESS   WITHOUT  DESPAIR.* 

"  O  wretched  man  that  I  am  /  who  shall  deliver 
me  from  the  body of 'this  deaths  " — Rom.  vii.  24. 

This  is  the  appeal  of  intelligence  rather  than  the 
cry  of  despair.  A  brave  and  careful  thinker  has  been 
considering  his  own  spiritual  condition.  With  the 
nerve  of  a  surgeon,  he  has  applied  the  knife  of  criticism 
to  his  thoughts  and  emotions  until  he  has  laid  bare 
the  centre  of  life.  There  he  has  observed  the  fatal 
nature  of  sin,  whose  manifestations  he  has  witnessed 
in  the  foibles,  the  faults,  and  the  crimes  of  daily  con- 
duct. He  is  depressed,  but  not  hopeless.  The  work 
of  reformation  is  a  necessity,  and  he  believes  that 
it  may  be  accomplished.  A  remedy  has  been  an- 
nounced. If  he  can  secure  it  he  is  confident  that  he 
can  overcome  all  his  infirmities  and  maladies,  and  en- 
joy the  perfect  spiritual  health  which  is  life  eternal. 

It   has   been    suggested  that  the   appeal   finds  its 


*  This  and  the  remaining  sermons  of  the  volume  are  related 
in  the  endeavor  to  exhibit  the  perfect  adaptation  of  the  Lord 
Jesus  Christ  to  man's  spiritual  necessities. 

(1S3) 


184  DISTRESS  WITHOUT  DESPAIR. 

illustration  in  the  ancient  custom  of  chaining  a 
criminal  to  a  dead  body.  The  dead  body  was  chained 
to  the  ankle  of  the  criminal,  who  was  compelled  to 
drag  it — a  loathsome,  decaying  mass — as  he  moved 
from  place  to  place.  Under  such  circumstances,  ex- 
istence itself  was  torture  ;  and  a  most  pitiful  entreaty 
was  heard  in  the  cry:  "Who  shall  deliver  me  from 
the  body  of  this  death  ? "  However  this  may  be, 
such  a  reference  would  properly  express  the  humilia- 
tion and  loathing  of  Paul  as  he  contemplated  his 
sinfulness.  He  was  a  noble  man.  At  this  period  of 
his  life  he  was  in  the  midst  of  his  most  intense 
activity.  His  mind  was  doing  its  best  work.  He  was 
the  recognized  leader  of  the  advanced  school  of 
Christian  thought.  His  horizon  was  broad.  Jerusalem 
and  the  ceremonial  law  could  not  restrain  him.  He 
appreciated  the  universal  aspects  of  Christianity. 
The  philosophy  of  religion  which  he  announced  be- 
came the  faith  of  the  Church,  and  is  still  that  faith. 
He  was  not  morbid.  There  was  nothing  of  the 
ascetic  in  his  character.  He  never  wrote  a  sentence 
without  filling  it  with  truth.  "  Paul  of  all  others/* 
said  Colet,  one  of  the  Oxford  Reformers,  "  seems  to 
me  to  be  a  fathomless  ocean  of  wisdom  and  piety." 
Yet — and  this  is  the  thing  to  be  considered — here  is 
an  emphatic  statement  from  his  pen,  which  declares 
that  spiritual  help  is  a  necessity — a  positive  necessity. 
He   was   conscious  of    the  necessity.     With  all   his 


DISTRESS  WITHOUT  DESPAIR.  185 

advantages — and  they  were  numerous — he  was  forced 
to  appeal  to  God  for  help. 

This  experience  of  the  Apostle  is  calculated  to 
raise  a  question  or  two  in  every  mind.  When  such 
a  man  as  Paul  places  upon  record  an  estimate  of  his 
own  spiritual  condition,  it  is  natural  that  other  men 
should  inquire  if  they  are  better  or  worse  than  he. 
If  his  experience  is  not  exceptional,  can  we  escape 
the  conclusion  that  divine  help  is  a  necessity?  Do 
we  need  it  ?     If  so,  why  ? 

1st.  Spiritual  help  is  needed  to  furnish  every  man 
a  correct  estimate  of  himself.  Self-knowledge  is  most 
difficult  of  attainment.  "  In^-every  nature,"  George 
Eliot  remarks,  "  there  is  a  great  deal  of  unmapped 
territory,  from  which  proceed  sudden  gusts  of  pas- 
sion and  terrific  storms  of  malice."  "  Who,"  asks  the 
Psalmist,  "  can  understand  his  errors  ?  "  It  was  the 
painful  result  of  his  personal  inquiry  that  led  Paul 
to  make  his  appeal  for  help.  He  had  been  alone 
with  himself.  The  discovery  of  a  law  in  his  mem- 
bers warring  against  the  law  of  his  mind,  and  bring- 
ing him  into  captivity  to  the  law  of  sin  which  was  in 
his  members,  was  distressing  to  him.  Here  was  a 
conflict  whose  issue  was  doubtful.  Evil  and  good 
were  constantly  striving  for  the  mastery.  The  Apostle 
realized  his  weakness,  and  felt  that  in  God  alone  could 
he  find  help.  Yet  his  experience,  be  it  noticed, 
was  the  experience  of  a  godly  man.     It  was  reached 


186  DISTRESS  WITHOUT  DESPAIR. 

by  him  under  the  illumination  of  the  Divine  Spirit. 
Without  that  illumination  he  would  have  been  an 
apologist  rather  than  a  confessor.  His  confession  of 
sin  and  of  the  weakness  of  sin,  came  in  connection 
with  the  illumination  of  the  Holy  Spirit.  Nor  is  this 
strange.  The  dwelling  into  which  no  ray  of  sunlight 
enters  may  be  considered  decent  and  comfortable, 
even  when  its  walls  are  covered  with  dust  and  fes- 
tooned with  cobwebs.  The  occupants  may  resent 
the  suggestion  that  they  are  living  in  filth  and  deg- 
radation. But  if  that  dwelling  is  flooded  with  sun- 
light its  true  condition  is  demonstrated.  They  are  then 
without  excuse.  "  Search  me,  O  God,  and  know  my 
heart  ;  try  me,  and  know  my  thoughts  ;  and  see  if 
there  be  any  wicked  way  in  me,  and  lead  me  in  the 
way  everlasting,"  is  the  only  prayer  that  is  consistent 
with  sinfulness.  We  bring  ourselves  to  God  in  order 
that  we  may  know  ourselves.  We  wish  to  know  the 
worst,  in  order  that  we  may  seek  help  of  Him  who 
is  mighty  to  save.  It  is  folly  to  say,  "  Peace,  peace," 
"  when  there  is  no  peace  ";  and  "  there  is  no  peace, 
saith  my  God,  to  the  wicked."  He  is  not  an  honest 
physician  who  dismisses  his  patient  with  the  belief 
that  he  has  some  trifling  disorder,  when  he  knows 
that  a  malignant  disease  has  begun  to  destroy  him. 
Yet  men  shrink  from  the  knowledge  of  the  truth  con- 
cerning themselves.  They  are  ready  enough  to  join 
in  the  confession  of  the  Litany,  which  acknowledges 


DISTRESS  WITHOUT  DESPAIR.  187 

that  we  are  all  miserable  sinners  ;  but  when  the  con- 
fession becomes  personal,  when  it  touches  individu- 
ally, man  by  man,  the  members  of  a  household,  there 
is  hesitancy  and  silence.  It  is  very  easy  to  repeat  the 
Scriptural  expressions — "  our  righteousnesses  are  as 
filthy  rags,"  "  we  are  all  as  an  unclean  thing,"  "  I  am 
a  worm,  and  no  man  " — that  is  easy ;  but  it  is,  indeed, 
hard  to  kneel  down  before  God,  who  searches  the 
heart,  and  in  His  presence  to  say,  "  Be  merciful  to 
me  a  sinner."  Yet  this  is  the  confession  of  good 
men  like  Paul ;  and  we  may  wonder  why  it  is  that 
we  do  not  feel  like  joining  in  such  a  confession. 
Certainly  we  must  believe  that  the  most  bitter,  the 
most  reproachful  expressions  that  have  ever  been 
uttered  in  regard  to  human  nature,  have  come  from 
servants  of  God  whose  lives  have  been  very  holy.  If 
I  should  wish  to  secure  an  accurate  estimate  of  the 
sinfulness  of  sin,  I  should  not  question  the  inmates 
of  brothels  or  dens  of  infamy,  but  I  should  visit  some 
devout  saint,  whose  pilgrimage  had  found  a  resting- 
place  on  the  confines  of  the  Better  Land.  "  Fools 
make  a  mock  at  sin,"  while  the  saints  have  discovered 
that  "  sin  is  exceeding  sinful." 

This  discovery  of  the  saints,  which  is  made  through 
the  experience  of  a  holy  life,  presents  two  possibili- 
ties— one  of  woe,  and  the  other  of  blessedness.  The 
possibility  of  woe  is  the  inevitable  attendant  of  sin. 
Sin  means  woe.     Unless  sin  is  pardoned  and  cleansed, 


1 88  DISTRESS  WITHOUT  DESPAIR. 

woe  is  certain.  Leprosy  means  death.  The  leper 
must  advance  to  death  through  the  terrible  processes 
of  his  plague,  even  if  he  now  carries  on  his  cheek  the 
healthy  beauty  of  the  leper's  child.  There  is  no  cure 
for  leprosy.  And  sin,  if  left  to  itself,  if  the  infallible 
remedy  of  the  Gospel  is  not  used,  must  terminate  in 
the  woe  unutterable,  toward  which  Jesus  pointed 
when  He  said,  "  These  shall  go  away  into  everlasting 
punishment."  I  can  not  see,  in  reason  or  in  the 
Word  of  God,  how  sin  is  to  be  brought  to  Heaven, 
nor  how  a  sinner  can  find  his  way  there,  if  he  rejects 
the  salvation  of  Jesus  Christ.  The  gate  is  closed 
against  him,  but  he  has  closed  it  with  his  own  unwill- 
ing hand  :  the  Lamb's  book  of  life  has  no  record  of 
his  name,  but  he  would  not  permit  the  angel  to  write 
it  when  he  heard  the  invitation  of  his  Lord.  God  is 
not  arbitrary.  We  can  never  complain,  if  our  fond- 
ness for  sin  brings  us  under  His  final  condemnation. 

For  there  is  a  glorious  possibility  which  waits  upon 
the  gracious  endeavors  of  human  nature.  When  we 
accept  the  help  of  God  we  may  forsake  sin,  we  may 
secure  righteousness,  we  may  advance  toward  Heaven, 
we  may  lay  hold  on  eternal  life.  At  once  we  become 
conscious  of  another  and  a  spiritual  world.  There  is 
such  a  world,  as  real  as  this  world  of  farms  and  of 
cities  in  which  we  are  now  abiding  for  a  season  ;  nay, 
far  more  real.     For  "  what,"  one  asks,*  "  is  the  tran- 

*  Dr.  Shedd,  "  Sermons  to  the  Natural  Man,"  p.  20. 


DISTRESS  WITHOUT  DESPAIR.  189 

sient  reality  of  these  objects,  these  morning  vapors, 
compared  with  the  everlasting  reality  of  such  beings 
as  God  and  the  Soul,  of  such  facts  as  holiness  and 
sin,  of  such  states  as  Heaven  and  Hell  ?  "  The  out- 
look of  repentance  and  faith  is  sublime.  No  heir- 
apparent  to  a  splendid  throne  ever  had  such  an 
assured  prospect  as  the  Christian  has.  He  may  look 
on  from  the  things  which  are  seen  to  the  things  which 
are  not  seen  ;  he  may  realize  that  his  inheritance  is 
incorruptible,  undefiled,  and  unfading,  and  that  it  is 
reserved  for  him  ;  he  may  confidently  believe  that  He 
who  has  begun  a  good  work  in  him  will  consummate 
it  in  the  day  of  Jesus  Christ.  His  experience  is  pro- 
phetic. The  plant  of  grace  is  an  exotic  whose  bloom 
witnesses  to  the  reality  of  a  celestial  Land.  Only 
persevere,  Christian,  only  press  on  faithfully,  only 
prepare  for  the  crown  and  the  robe  and  the  mansion. 
God  will  meet  His  promise.  Faith  will  become  sight. 
Heaven  will  prove  the  happy  residence  of  the  Christ- 
like soul. 

2d.  To  present  the  ideal  of  a  perfect  life,  and  the 
method  of  its  attainment,  there  is  need  of  divine 
help.  Our  ideals  are  very  far  from  perfect,  and  even 
if  they  do  arise  before  our  minds  we  know  not  how 
to  make  them  real.  The  wisdom  of  the  past,  as  ex- 
hibited in  the  writings  of  Confucius,  Plato,  Aristotle, 
or  Socrates,  has  confessed  its  inability  to  form  a 
practical  conception  of  a  perfect  human  life.     It  was 


190  DISTRESS  WITHOUT  DESPAIR. 

reserved  for  Jesus  of  Nazareth  to  announce  the  only- 
complete  life  that  faces  with  its  cordial  invitation  every 
phase  of  humanity.  We  are  dependent  upon  Him  for 
our  knowledge  of  this  life,  as  well  as  for  the  method 
of  its  attainment.  He  has  revealed  both,  and  He 
communicates  both  by  the  Holy  Spirit. 

Here,  then,  is  a  real  blessing  which  we  all  should 
welcome.  Jesus  of  Nazareth  appeals  to  the  race. 
There  is  nothing  sectional  nor  national  about  Him. 
He  stood  forth  for  the  world  and  for  the  centuries  in 
such  a  manner  and  with  such  a  purpose,  that  "  every 
man  becomes  more  a  man  as  he  becomes  more  like 
Him,  and  that  every  woman  becomes  more  a  woman 
as  she  becomes  more  like  Him."  Therefore,  as  Pres. 
Hopkins  *  well  says :  "  If  by  becoming  a  Christian 
a  man  does  not  become  more  truly  man  according  to 
God's  conception  of  manhood,  and  as  He  would  have 
him  to  be,  and  if  in  becoming  a  Christian  a  woman 
does  not  come  to  be  more  fully  woman  according  to 
God's  conception  of  womanhood,  and  as  He  would 
have  her  to  be,  then  Christianity  is  a  failure.  This 
must  be  so,  for  Christ  being  according  to  His  method 
the  man,  the  centre  of  attraction  to  the  race,  that 
law  of  assimilation  must  hold  by  which  moral  beings 
are  changed  into  the  image  of  that  which  they  con- 
template with  pleasure ;    and  if  there  were  not  that 


"  The  Scriptural  Idea  of  Man,"  p.  133. 


DISTRESS  WITHOUT  DESPAIR.  191 

in  Christ  which  would  thus  bring  to  its  full  perfection 
the  proper  nature  of  each,  there  would  be  an  arrest 
of  progress  and  failure." 

When  we  contemplate  this  perfect  life  as  our  ideal, 
we  instantly  realize  that  it  rebukes  all  other  suggested 
ideals,  and  its  rebukes  are  so  emphatic  that  it  virtually 
destroys  them.  Here,  in  the  perfect  life  of  Jesus  of 
Nazareth,  the  most  glorious  Being  in  the  universe 
manifests  His  condescension.  The  greatness  of 
humility  is  announced,  the  majesty  of  self-sacrifice 
is  presented,  the  grandeur  of  holiness  appears.  Other 
ideals  magnify  strength  and  wealth  and  beauty.  The 
soldier,  the  merchant,  the  favorite  of  the  drawing- 
room,  these  are  the  common  ideals  which  receive 
popular  admiration,  and  which  stimulate  youthful 
zeal.  But,  at  a  glance,  we  can  appreciate  their  imper- 
fections. The  soldier  is  Alexander,  conquering  the 
world,  and  then  conquered  by  the  wine-cup  ;  or 
Caesar,  marching  with  victorious  eagles  from  conti- 
nent to  continent,  and  unable  to  subdue  his  own 
personal  ambition  ;  or  Bonaparte,  deluging  Europe 
with  blood,  and  exhibiting  in  his  household  the 
peevishness  and  petty  jealousies  of  a  spoiled  child  ; 
and  the  merchant  is  the  man  whose  gains  have  made 
his  heart  stony,  whose  reputation  in  the  markets  is 
simply  the  report  of  his  bank  account,  whose  increas- 
ing wealth  knows  not  the  beautiful  companionship  of 
increasing  charities  ;  and  the  favorite  of  the  drawing- 


I92  DISTRESS   WITHOUT  DESPAIR. 

room  is  society's  queen  for  a  day  or  a  year,  whose 
crown  withers  and  falls  as  the  cheek  grows  pale,  whose 
applause  is  hushed  as  a  rival  appears,  whose  name  is 
forgotten  before  a  new  generation  is  recognized  upon 
the  stage  of  life.  Alas !  that  these  should  be  the 
ideals.  They  are  not  grand  nor  noble :  and  they 
attract  most  of  us  only  to  deceive.  For  the  ordinary 
soldier  will  never  become  a  great  commander ;  and  the 
ordinary  merchant  will  never  count  his  fortune  in  the 
millions ;  and  the  ordinary  woman  will  never  win  the 
renown  of  society's  queen.  Yet  we  must  have  our  ideals, 
and  they  must  be  practical.  Life's  problem  is  too  im- 
portant, too  solemn,  to  be  left  for  its  solution  to  the 
vain  endeavors  of  an  unaided  imagination.  We  are 
not  to  expect  another  opportunity.  The  problem  is 
before  us,  and  our  solution  must  be  handed  in  when 
God  calls  us  to  render  our  account.  How  shall  we 
work?  What  is  to  be  our  conception  of  life?  Shall 
we  solve  the  problem  with  Jesus  of  Nazareth  ever 
present,  as  the  ideal  of  perfection  ;  or  shall  we  accept 
other  ideals  ;  or  shall  we  neglect  the  problem  entirely, 
and  live  without  any  consideration?  We  surely  can 
not  live  without  any  consideration.  The  present  is 
too  intimately  related  to  the  future.  The  life  that 
now  is  conditions  that  which  is  to  come.  We  must 
take  thought.  No  intelligent  man  can  stand  at  the 
grave  of  his  friend,  or  approach  the  hour  of  his  own 
death,  without  considering  the  requirements    of  the 


DISTRESS  WITHOUT  DESPAIR.  193 

future.  What  will  be  demanded  there  ?  Will  our 
common  ideals  meet  the  divine  approval  ?  Shall  we 
find  that  power  and  riches  and  beauty  receive  a  coro- 
nation ?  Does  God  care  for  these  things  as  men  do  ? 
Or  is  not  the  conviction  borne  in  upon  us  irresistibly 
that  the  pure  in  heart  shall  see  God,  that  glory  and 
honor  and  immortality  await  patient  continuance  in 
well-doing,  that  the  humble  are  to  be  exalted,  that  the 
life  lost  in  Christ  is  to  be  found  in  Heaven  ?  I  am 
confident  that  this  is  a  very  general  conviction.  It  is 
expressed  in  the  conversation  of  my  fellow-men  every 
day ;  and  especially  do  I  hear  it  when  they  speak  to 
me  of  any  who  have  just  "passed  over  to  the  ma- 
jority, and  joined  the  great  nations  of  the  dead." 
Then  we  eulogize  these  Christ-like  traits,  and  com- 
mend them  heartily  as  deserving  our  imitation. 

This  perfect  ideal  is  a  revelation.  God  has  given  it 
in  the  presentation  of  His  Son.  We  are  dependent 
upon  Him  for  the  acquaintance  which  we  have  with 
a  perfect  life.  But  this  is  not  all.  A  perfect  life 
would  not  be  helpful  as  an  ideal  if  we  should  be  left 
to  our  own  efforts  to  realize  it.  We  need  to  know  its 
method  as  well.  How  shall  this  perfect  life  be  reached  ? 
We  can  not  lift  ourselves  up  to  it.  We  may  as  well 
try  and  clutch  the  stars.  It  is  far  above  us  and  be- 
yond us.  Yet  may  we  hope  to  apprehend  it,  and 
how  ?  Simply  by  regarding  the  teachings  of  Christ. 
He  has  made  known  the  way.  The  method  is  His. 
9 


194 


DISTRESS  WITHOUT  DESPAIR. 


And  it.  is  a  method  so  unlike  any  of  the  great  variety 
of  human  suggestions  that  it  carries  upon  its  surface 
an  evidence  of  its  divine  origin.  Christ  is  the  centre 
of  a  redeemed  humanity.  By  the  attractive  power  of 
His  love  He  draws  to  Himself  in  penitence  for  sin 
and  in  faith  in  His  person,  the  multitude  of  His 
disciples.  They  are  united  to  Him.  Then  quickly 
and  surely  His  influence  is  felt  in  the  reformation  of 
character.  You  may  question  the  reality  of  this  in- 
fluence, as  many  persons  have ;  but  try  it  and  know 
for  yourself  how  strong  it  is.  It  can  take  the  worst 
character  and  subdue  every  evil  passion  in  it,  and  then 
make  God's  angels  the  occupants  of  the  very  dwelling 
in  which  demons  once  rioted.  His  is  an  approved 
method.  It  appeals  to  us  all.  We  really  can  not 
live  without  it.  Yet  in  accepting  it  we  confess  that 
God  has  been  very  gracious,  that  the  help  is  His,  that 
in  these  last  days  He  has  spoken  unto  us  by  His  Son. 
3d.  We  need  spiritual  help  to  provide  a  restraining 
and  regulating  force  which  is  able  to  secure  a  perfect 
character.  We  must  have  an  impulse.  Is  anything 
more  evident  than  the  fact  that  men  fail  to  express 
their  moral  convictions  ?  There  are,  indeed,  very  few 
men  who  do  not  approve  more  truths  than  they  ex- 
press. Mere  intellectual  knowledge  is  no  security 
against  wrong-doing.  Some  of  the  worst  criminals 
of  the  present  day  are  men  who  have  been  carefully 
trained  in  morals  and  religion.     The  Apostle  writes 


DISTRESS  WITHOUT  DESPAIR.  1^5 

that  the  devils  are  sound  theologians  ; — "  They  be- 
lieve, and  tremble."  We  may  assent  to  every  state- 
ment of  an  elaborate  creed,  and  yet  violate  every 
precept  of  the  moral  law.  It  is  not  easy  to  do  right. 
The  recognition  of  the  excellence  of  Jesus  Christ 
and  the  appreciation  of  His  method  do  not  make  a 
man  a  Christian.  A  spiritual  force  is  needed.  Even 
after  the  vessel  has  been  provisioned  and  after  her 
destination  has  been  determined,  the  driving  power 
of  steam  or  wind  is  essential.  Let  any  man  try  and 
live  the  Christian  life  without  dependence  upon  the 
grace  of  God,  and  what  poor  success  he  will  have  ! 
He  may  say  to  himself :  "  I  understand  this  perfectly. 
I  can  be  a  Christian.  I  approve  the  ideal.  I  will 
accept  the  method.  I  will  begin  at  once.  Day  by 
day  I  will  fight  the  battle,  and  I  will  add  one  by  one 
these  virtues  and  graces  to  my  character."  Now 
that  is  an  excellent  resolution,  if  it  only  includes 
dependence  upon  the  grace  of  God.  But  if  it  does 
not,  it  is  not  much  stronger  than  a  transparent  bub- 
ble. The  man  will  try,  and  he  will  seem  to  be  doing 
well.  While  the  undertaking  is  fresh  and  new  to 
him  he  will  not  falter.  Presently,  however,  he  will 
feel  the  shock  of  some  temptation,  or  he  will  become 
a  little  weary,  or  he  will  find  that  his  endeavors  are 
not  well-balanced.  Then  he  has  nothing  whatever  to 
sustain  him,  nothing  to  fall  back  upon.  His  endeav- 
ors have  been  mechanical.     They  have  not  had  any 


196  DISTRESS   WITHOUT  DESPAIR. 

vitality  whatever.  He  is  weary  of  the  whole  thing. 
And  "  the  last  state  of  that  man  is  worse  than  the 
first."  He  turns  back  to  his  old  life  with  a  disgust 
for  the  religion  whose  blessedness  he  has  never 
known.  Thus  it  is  that  men  mistake  the  shadow 
for  the  substance,  the  symbol  for  the  reality,  the 
form  for  the  spirit.  I  imagine  that  there  are  men  in 
mature  life — not  a  few — who  have  passed  through  an 
experience  such  as  this.  They  think  that  they  once 
tested  the  value  of  religion,  and  they  can  hardly  be 
persuaded  that  they  made  a  mistake.  Yet  so  it  was. 
A  sad  mistake  !  They  really  had  very  little  contact 
with  the  freedom  and  spirituality  of  the  grace  of  God 
that  bringeth  salvation.  If  they  had  become  pos- 
sessed by  that  grace,  if  it  had  inspired  and  fed  and 
ruled  them,  they  would  have  rejoiced  in  its  helpful- 
ness, and  would  never  have  ceased  to  depend  upon 
it.  For  the  grace  of  God  has  manifested  its  power 
in  many  ways.  It  is  the  grandest  of  all  restraining 
forces.  Temptation  can  not  conquer  it.  The  man 
who  is  sustained  by  God's  grace  can  meet  any  temp- 
tation. His.  strength  is  not  his  own.  God  is  with 
him.  He  can  depend  upon  God.  A  holy  conscious- 
ness is  his  best  help.  From  his  closet  of  prayer  he 
goes  out  to  meet  the  daily  experiences  of  life,  with 
the  blessed  assurance  that  "  the  Lord  knoweth  how 
to  deliver  the  godly  out  of  temptations."  There  is 
a  divine  presence  with  him.     "  Thou,  God,  seest  me" 


DISTRESS  WITHOUT  DESPAIR. 


197 


is  a  realization  which  he  gladly  feels.  "  When  thou 
passest  through  the  waters  I  will  be  with  thee  ;  and 
through  the  rivers,  they  shall  not  overflow  thee ; 
when  thou  walkest  through  the  fire  thou  shalt  not 
be  burned  ;  neither  shall  the  flame  kindle  upon  thee," 
is  a  promise  whose  rare  meaning  opens  to  his  com- 
prehension as  the  requirements  of  life  demand.  He 
is  ready  to  confess  with  Paul :  "  By  the  grace  of  God 
I  am  what  I  am."  Ah  !  friends,  we  need  this  grace. 
Our  temptations  are  numerous.  Life  is  a  constant 
struggle.  Shall  we  not  welcome  it  when  it  is  so 
freely  offered  us  by  God  ? 

Then  grace  regulates  our  activities.  A  well-round- 
ed character  is  the  consummate  expression  of  grace. 
From  the  centre  to  the  circumference,  grace  acts 
with  divine  energy ;  from  the  heart  out  upon  the  life, 
this  sacred  force  manifests  its  strength  and  excel- 
lence. We  may  become  symmetrical  and  comely 
and  beautiful,  if  we  do  not  frustrate  the  grace  of 
God. 

Here  is  another  spiritual  necessity.  We  must  be 
aroused  and  impelled  and  strengthened  and  regu- 
lated in  life  ;  and  grace  is  the  force  which  takes  pos- 
session of,  and  thrills,  and  animates,  and  subdues, 
and  ennobles  us.  This  is  the  perpetual  miracle  of 
Christianity — a  miracle  as  real  and  as  evidently  di- 
vine as  were  any  of  those  which  brought  sight  to 
sightless  eyes,  and  hearing  to  dull  ears,  and  speech 


198  DISTRESS  WITHOUT  DESPAIR. 

to  the  dumb,  and  life  to  the  dead.  Those  miracles 
were  expressions  of  the  power  of  one  who  could 
speak,  and  command  sight,  and  hearing,  and  speech, 
and  life ;  and  these  miracles  are  also  expressions  of 
the  power  of  one  who  can  even  now  open  the  spirit- 
ual intelligence  to  perceive  the  glorious  realities  of 
righteousness  and  truth  ;  unstop  the  spiritual  ear  to 
catch  the  faintest  whispers  of  a  sacred  love  ;  unloose 
the  heart's  emotions  to  sing  the  praises  of  Him  who 
died  ;  bring  life  out  of  death  to  triumph  and  to  reign 
in  glory  evermore.  Do  we  need  this  blessed  divine 
force  ?  Can  we  truly  live  without  its  gracious  in- 
fluence ? 

4th.  To  announce  the  consolations  and  hopes  of 
invisible  realities,  divine  help  is  requisite.  How 
eager  we  are  for  consolation,  and  how  dependent  we 
are  upon  hope !  Our  exposure  is  constant.  No 
Alpine  tourist,  threatened  at  every  step  by  the  im- 
pending avalanche,  is  more  exposed  than  we  are  each 
day.  Disaster,  reproach,  misfortune,  sorrow,  death 
seem  always  to  be  hovering  around  us,  like  the 
Bedawins  of  the  Desert,  who  are  detected  here  and 
there  upon  the  distant  hills.  The  unwary  traveller  is 
their  victim.  They  dash  in  upon  the  peaceful  hours 
around  the  camp-fire,  or  swoop  down  upon  the  line 
of  march,  or  appear  at  midnight,  when  sleep  has 
brought  repose.  How  often  we  remark  playfully, 
yet  sadly,  that  the  unexpected  is  sure  to  happen  ! 


DISTRESS  WITHOUT  DESPAIR.  199 

Our  plans  are  thwarted,  our  health  fails,  our  friends 
die,  our  lives  glide  away  like  the  swiftly-flowing 
stream.  "  The  strong  men  shall  bow  themselves." 
There  is  no  escape,  no  exemption.  This  is  the  com- 
mon lot  of  man  ;  and  in  one  way  or  another  a  sense 
of  his  dependence  must  be  brought  home  to  all. 
Happy  is  he  who  early  learns  the  lesson,  and  ever 
after  finds  that  God  is  his  strength  ! 

For  God's  strength  is  consolation  and  hope.  He 
consoles  us  by  giving  us  an  understanding  of  the  sig- 
nificance of  trial ;  by  opening  to  our  appreciation,  in 
the  Holy  Spirit's  activity,  new  views  of  sacred  truth ; 
by  drawing  us  closer  to  Himself;  by  making  us  to 
think  more  of  Heaven.  His  consolations  are  not 
weak  nor  few.  They  place  life  in  its  perspective. 
They  bring  out  the  deep  quality  of  life.  The  out- 
ward man  perishes,  and  the  inward  man  is  renewed 
day  by  day.  There  is  a  constant  presentation  of  the 
powers  of  life  to  the  refining,  spiritualizing  presence 
of  God.  As  the  bleacher  shakes  the  skein,  whose  wool 
he  is  seeking  to  whiten,  bringing  now  one  part  and 
then  another  into  contact  with  the  rays  of  the  sun, 
so  affliction  stirs  the  soul  in  order  that  God  may 
have  complete  access  to  it  in  every  faculty.  We 
have  watched  this  sublime  work,  which  secures  per- 
fection through  sufferings.  It  is  rarely  beautiful  in 
itb  progress  and  in  its  execution.  How  often  we 
remark :  "  What  a  lovely  character ! "   when  the  an- 


200  DISTRESS  WITHOUT  DESPAIR. 

swer  comes  back,  "Yes!  she  has  been  a  great  suf- 
ferer." Affliction  alone  is  not  good.  Misanthropy 
and  despair  follow  affliction.  We  become  hard  and 
complaining  if  we  are  often  afflicted.  Not  so,  how- 
ever, if  affliction  and  consolation  are  linked  together. 
Then  we  become  submissive  and  resigned  and  gentle, 
and  we  even  venture  to  say  with  the  Psalmist,  "  It  is 
good  for  me  that  I  have  been  afflicted,"  or  with  Paul, 
"  We  glory  in  tribulations  also." 

For  consolation  heralds  hope.  When  God  consoles 
us,  we  have  new  evidence  that  God  is  near ;  and  if 
God  is  near,  then  may  we  hope.  God  and  hope,  that 
is  true;  no  God  and  no  hope,  is  not  that  also  true? 
I  think  that  it  is.  I  can  not  see  how  the  man  who 
has  no  hope  in  God  can  contemplate  the  future  with 
any  satisfaction.  He  is  in  the  great  procession  which 
is  hastening  on  to  the  grave.  He  can  not  stop.  One 
day  he  must  die.  Then  what  is  to  become  of  him  ? 
He  may  say  that  we  do  not  know,  that  we  can  not 
know,  that  we  need  not  try  to  know.  But  that  say- 
ing is  hopeless.  There  is  no  light  in  it.  "  Whither, 
oh  !  Pilot,  are  you  conducting  us  through  this  fog 
and  darkness?  What  port  is  before  us,  and  where 
shall  we  land  ?  "  And  the  Pilot  answers,  "  I  do  not 
know,  I  can  not  know,  and  I  do  not  try  to  know." 
Then  the  passenger  is  silent  because  he  feels  that  he 
has  little  hope.  We  can  not,  in  that  way,  meet  the 
anxious  questioning  of  the  immortal  soul.     We  must 


DISTRESS  WITHOUT  DESPAIR.  2OI 

have  hope ;  and  God  gives  us  hope  in  Christ.  He 
is  the  earnest  of  another  life.  His  very  presence  is 
an  unanswerable  argument  in  favor  of  immortality. 
We  have  His  testimony  to  convince  us  that  there  is 
a  celestial  country.  If  we  believe  His  words,  we  shall 
have  no  anxiety,  but  a  most  comfortable  hope. 

"  If  my  immortal  Saviour  lives, 
Then  my  immortal  life  is  sure  ; 
His  word  a  firm  foundation  gives ; 
Here  may  I  build,  and  rest  secure." 

We  have  thus  inquired  in  several  directions  respect- 
ing our  need  of  God's  help.  We  have  found  that 
without  it  we  can  not  properly  know  ourselves,  our 
condition,  our  danger,  and  our  opportunity,  nor  can 
we  form  a  conception  of  the  ideal  of  a  perfect  life 
whose  method  will  also  be  obscure.  We  can  not, 
still  further,  live  without  the  grace  which  must  arouse 
our  endeavors,  and  then  restrain  and  regulate  our 
characters ;  and  we  shall,  indeed,  be  poor  if  we  have 
none  of  God's  consolations,  none  of  His  hopes  to 
meet  our  inevitable  sorrows  and  to  brighten  the 
shadows  of  death.  Without  God's  help  must  not 
each  one  of  us  exclaim,  as  Paul  did,  "  O  wretched 
man  that  I  am,  who  shall  deliver  me  from  the  body 
of  this  death  ?  "  There  is  no  escape  for  us.  Life  is 
a  mystery,  and  the  mystery  becomes  tragic  as  its 
plot  unfolds. 


202  DISTRESS   WITHOUT  DESPAIR. 

There  is  a  solution.  God  does  not  mock  us.  We 
may  rejoice  in  Him.  He  is  never  distant.  His  help 
is  pledged.  Oh !  let  us  welcome  it ;  and  with  its 
genial,  holy  assistance,  let  us  undertake  to  solve  this 
problem  which  is  intensely  personal. 


XI 


JESUS  OF  NAZARETH.— HIS  PLACE  IN 
HISTORY. 

"  Philip  findeth  Nathanael  and  saith  unto  him, 
*  We  have  found  Him,  of  whom  Moses  in  the 
law,  and  the  prophets,  did  write,  Jesus  of 
Nazareth,  the  Son  of  Joseph.'  " — JOHN  i.  45. 

Philip  and  Nathanael  were  devout  men.  A  sin- 
cere interest  in  religion  strengthened  their  friendship. 
They  were  waiting  anxiously  for  "  the  consolation  of 
Israel."  With  ripe  intelligence  and  responsive  spirit- 
uality, they  were  ready  to  consider  the  claims  of  the 
Messiah  whenever  He  should  appear.  The  need  of 
divine  help  was  appreciated.  It  was  not  necessary 
that  they  should  argue  themselves  into  the  convic- 
tion that  God  is  able  to  give  a  revelation.  That  con- 
viction had  taken  firm  hold  upon  them,  and  they 
frequently  dwelt  with  satisfaction  upon  the  evidences 
of  His  love,  which  the  inspired  writers  of  the  Hebrews 
had  recorded. 

The   enthusiasm    of   John   the    Baptist's   ministry 

reached  them  in  their  Galilean  homes,  and  led  one  of 

them  to  visit  the  fearless  preacher  of  righteousness. 

(203) 


204  JESUS  OF  NAZARETH. 

Philip  —  the  more  impulsive  temperament  —  went 
down  to  the  fords  of  the  Jordan,  where  great  crowds 
of  people  were  under  the  influence  of  a  genuine  re- 
vival of  religion :  while  Nathanael — somewhat  more 
contemplative  and  retiring — continued  to  meditate 
in  the  vicinity  of  his  own  village  upon  the  signifi- 
cance of  these  unusual  events. 

Meanwhile  Jesus  of  Nazareth  received  baptism, 
and  was  formally  recognized,  as  "  the  Lamb  of  God, 
which  taketh  away  the  sin  of  the  world."  Certain 
acquaintances  of  Philip  were  among  the  first  converts. 
From  them  he  heard  of  this  new  Teacher,  whom 
they  had  already  accepted  as  the  Messiah.  His  re- 
ligious nature  was  prepared  to  respond  to  the  invita- 
tion, which  soon  secured  his  cheerful  obedience  and 
made  him  a  disciple.  Then  as  the  journey  was  con- 
tinued— for  they  were  on  their  way  to  Galilee — Na- 
thanael was  discovered  in  the  shade  of  a  fig-tree, 
where  he  was  resting  for  meditation,  or  prayer,  or 
study.  Hastening  ahead  of  his  companions,  Philip 
surprised  his  friend  with  the  announcement  that  he 
had  found  the  Messiah — the  Messiah  so  eagerly  an- 
ticipated, so  exalted  in  the  imagination  of  every 
pious  Hebrew,  so  certain  to  bring  deliverance  to  the 
Chosen  People.  Nathanael  hesitated.  He  could  not 
bring  himself  to  accept  the  Son  of  Joseph,  the  hum- 
ble carpenter  of  Nazareth,  as  the  fulfilment  of  the 
sublime  prophecies  which   God  had   revealed.      He 


JESUS  OF  NAZARETH.  205 

wished  to  ask  a  question  or  two.  The  faith  of  Philip 
might  after  all  be  only  credulity.  He  demanded 
evidence.  Yet  he  was  a  truly  generous  man.  He 
did  not  reject  his  friend's  appeal.  There  was  no 
ridicule  nor  contempt  in  his  attitude.  He  went  to 
meet  the  Messiah,  whom  Philip  commended  ;  and  in 
His  presence,  he  quickly  learned  that  God's  response 
to  the  Messianic  predictions  is  a  perfect  life.  As  he 
looked  into  the  eyes  of  the  Son  of  Joseph,  he  saw 
the  Son  of  God,  and  his  quiet,  contemplative  spirit 
rose  to  the  height  of  a  splendid  confession,  when  he 
exclaimed :  "  Rabbi,  Thou  art  the  Son  of  God,  Thou 
art  the  King  of  Israel." 

The  announcement  of  Philip,  with  his  invitation, 
must  be  the  counsel  of  the  Christian  to  every  inquir- 
ing soul.  For  religious  inquiry  is  met  by  the  life  of 
Jesus  of  Nazareth.  When  we  become  conscious  of 
our  need  of  divine  help,  we  are  assured  that  divine 
help  will  reach  us  through  Him.  He  is  the  Mediator. 
"  For  it  pleased  the  Father  that  in  Him  should  all 
fulness  dwell ";  and  "  in  Him  dwelleth  all  the  fulness 
of  the  Godhead  bodily";  and  "  of  His  fulness  have  all 
we  received,  and  grace  for  grace."  It  is  essential, 
therefore,  that  we  should  recognize  His  presence,  that 
we  should  believe  in  His  life,  that  we  should  become 
familiar  with  His  story.  Some  of  us  are  in  the  po- 
sition of  Philip  and  Nathanael,  who  were  waiting  for 
the  appearance  of   the  Messiah.     Shall  we  not  wel- 


206  JESUS  OF  NAZARETH. 

come  Jesus  of  Nazareth   as  the  Saviour  in  whom  we 
may  trust  ? 

ist.  The  man  who  is  convinced  that  he  needs 
divine  help,  should  be  directed  to  Jesus  Christ. 
When  Paul  and  Silas  heard  the  plaintive  appeal  of 
the  Philippian  jailor,  who  was  sharply  convicted  of 
his  sinfulness,  they  urged  him  to  believe  on  the  Lord 
Jesus  Christ.  Their  reply  was  prompt  and  decisive. 
In  one  way  he  could  hope  to  find  pardon  ;  and  that 
was  by  accepting  the  mercy  of  the  Saviour,  whom 
Paul  and  Silas  had  learned  to  love.  The  Scripture 
narrative  says  that  he  accepted  their  counsel,  that  he 
sought  the  pardon  of  Jesus  Christ,  and  that  he  then 
found  "joy  and  peace  in  believing."  His  was  a  nota- 
ble experience.  So  well  defined,  so  clear,  and  so 
true  to  the  promise  of  Jesus,  who  said  :  "  Come  unto 
me,  all  ye  that  labor  and  are  heavy  laden,  and  I  will 
give  you  rest."  On  the  Day  of  Pentecost,  a  sermon 
of  Peter  led  many  hundreds  of  earnest  Jews  to  cry 
out  in  alarm,  and  to  inquire  :  "  Men  and  brethren, 
what  shall  we  do?"  They  were  not  children,  for 
they  were  mature  enough  to  be  pilgrims  ;  they  were 
not  weak  and  sentimental  men,  for  they  required  con- 
siderable argument  to  persuade  them  that  the  spirit- 
ual emotion  which  they  witnessed  in  the  disciples 
was  not  due  to  an  excess  of  wine.  Yet  when  they 
were  pricked  in  their  hearts  by  the  solemn  truths  of 
Peter's  sermon,  they  were  encouraged  and  comforted, 


JESUS  OF  NAZARETH.  207 

as  the  Apostle  pointed  them  to  Jesus  Christ.  On 
another  occasion,  he  declared  to  the  Sanhedrin  that 
Jesus  Christ  occupies  a  position  which  is  unique,  say- 
ing plainly  :  "  Neither  is  there  salvation  in  any  other: 
for  there  is  none  other  name  under  Heaven  given 
among  men,  whereby  we  must  be  saved."  The  same 
conviction  governs  the  writer  of  the  Epistle  to  the 
Hebrews,  when  he  records  the  blessed  truth  that 
Jesus  Christ  is  "  able  also  to  save  them  to  the  utter- 
most that  come  unto  God  by  Him  ";  and  John,  the 
beloved  disciple,  is  of  the  same  mind,  for  his  Epistles 
contain  many  expressions  of  abiding  confidence  in 
the  ability  of  the  Saviour;  "The  blood  of  Jesus 
Christ,  His  Son,  cleanseth  us  from  all  sin."  "  This  is 
the  record,  that  God  hath  given  to  us  eternal  life, 
and  this  life  is  in  His  Son." 

With  similar  confidence  the  Christian  life  of  the 
centuries  has  met  the  unbelief  of  the  world.  The 
best  results  have  always  attended  the  commendation 
of  Jesus  Christ.  Infidels  have  scoffed  at  such  a  refer- 
ence of  the  spiritual  anxieties  and  fears  of  mankind : 
and  yet  the  reference  has  been  made,  and  is  still  made, 
and  the  desired  blessing  has  been  known.  The  teach- 
ing of  experience  is  emphatic  on  this  point.  The 
adaptation  of  Jesus  Christ  is  established.  Just  as  we 
have  come  to  believe  that  light  is  adapted  to  the  eye, 
and  sound  to  the  ear,  and  oxygen  to  the  lungs,  and 
truth  to  the  intellect,  and  friendship  to  the  heart,  so 


208  JESUS  OF  NAZARETH. 

have  we  reached  the  conviction  that  Jesus  Christ 
meets  and  satisfies  the  deep  religious  longings  of  the 
soul.  A  child  born  and  reared  in  the  depths  of  some 
dark  cavern  would  not  appreciate  your  descriptions 
of  the  glorious  sunlight,  of  the  song  of  birds,  of  the 
tonic  of  the  atmosphere.  He  has  eyes,  but  he  can  not 
be  said  to  see ;  he  has  ears,  but  he  can  not  be  said  to 
hear  ;  he  has  lungs,  but  he  can  not  be  said  to  breathe. 
Let  him  come  to  the  surface,  and  stand  upon  the  solid 
earth,  and  behold  the  beauty  of  nature,  and  enjoy  the 
singing  of  birds,  and  fill  his  lungs  with  the  delicious 
air  of  the  hills, — then  may  he  know  how  carefully 
God  has  adapted  one  part  of  His  creation  to  another. 
Thus,  as  Dr.  Channing  once  remarked,*  experience 
teaches  us  that  there  is  "  a  consciousness  of  the  adap- 
tation of  Christianity  to  our  noblest  faculties ;  a  con- 
sciousness of  its  exalting  and  consoling  influence  ;  of 
its  power  to  confer  the  true  happiness  of  human 
nature,  to  give  that  peace  which  the  world  can  not 
give :  which  assures  us  that  this  is  not  of  earthly 
origin,  but  a  ray  of  Everlasting  Light,  a  stream  from 
the  fountain  of  Heavenly  Wisdom  and  Love."  This 
is  our  best  intelligence  on  a  subject  whose  importance 
is  vital  to  us.  We  meet  one  another  with  these 
spiritual  needs.  Christianity  does  not  create  them. 
They  are  innate.     Just  because  we  are  members  of 


*  Works,  Vol.  III.,  p.  135. 


JESUS  OF  NAZARETH.  209 

the  human  race,  we  have  them.  What  shall  we  do  ? 
To  whom  shall  we  turn  ?  We  can  not  laugh  them 
down.  They  are  too  firmly  established  within  us. 
We  dare  not  mock  them  with  frivolity.  They  are 
too  solemn.  We  can  not  neglect  them.  They  will 
not  cease  to  make  themselves  heard.  How  then  shall 
we  treat  them  ?  What  shall  we  say  ?  Will  education 
answer?  Will  science  and  art  and  literature  quiet 
the  awakened  conscience  ?  Will  the  names  of  Hum- 
boldt and  Cuvier,  of  Raphael  and  Leonardo,  of  Milton 
and  Shakespeare  cheer  the  inevitable  gloom  of  a 
dying  hour?  Has  not  the  name  of  Jesus  Christ  fre- 
quently brought  peace  to  king  and  to  peasant,  to 
philosopher  and  to  child,  as  the  realities  of  eternity 
have  oppressed  the  soul  ?  Yes !  we  are  safe  with  this 
counsel.  I  do  not  hesitate  to  direct  you  to  Jesus 
Christ.  If  you  find  Him,  you  find  hope  and  comfort 
and  joy,  which  will  sustain  you  always. 

2d.  Jesus  Christ  occupies  a  position  in  the  world 
which  is  braced  by  prophecy  and  history.  I  believe 
that  there  are  many  persons  who  have  an  exceed- 
ingly vague  conception  of  the  reality  of  the  life  of 
Jesus  Christ.  To  them  He  seems  remote,  and  even 
mythical.  They  are  sorry  that  He  is  not  now  upon 
the  earth,  teaching  in  some  neighboring  town,  so  that 
they  could  go  to  Him,  and  look  up  into  His  face,  and 
hear  His  voice,  and  thus  become  convinced  that  He 
is  a  Saviour.     The  fact  that  He  was  in   Judea  and 


2io  JESUS  OF  NAZARETH. 

Galilee  more  than  eighteen  hundred  years  ago  does 
not  appear  to  satisfy  the  demands  of  faith.  Yet  He 
said  to  the  doubting  Thomas,  whose  faith  was  de- 
pendent almost  entirely  upon  sight :  "  Because  thou 
hast  seen  me  thou  hast  believed :  blessed  are  they 
that  have  not  seen  and  yet  have  believed."  The  faith 
of  sight  is  good,  but  the  faith  of  testimony  is  better. 
A  Saviour  who  is  present  to  grasp  the  hand  of  the 
despairing  Peter,  and  thus  to  rescue  that  ardent 
disciple  from  a  watery  grave,  is  a  helpful  Saviour ;  but 
a  Saviour  who  is  invisible  to  the  eye,  "  whom  having 
not  seen  ye  love,  in  whom  though  now  ye  see  Him 
not,  yet  believing,  ye  rejoice  with  joy  unspeakable 
and  full  of  glory,"  is  really  more  helpful.  For  He, 
by  the  agency  of  the  Holy  Spirit,  is  "  a  Christ  whom 
no  distance  can  remove,  whom  the  sick  man  can  have 
in  his  chamber,  the  prisoner  in  his  dungeon,  the  exile 
in  his  place  of  banishment,  the  martyr  in  his  fires : 
present  to  the  heart,  more  present  than  looks  or 
words,  present  where  the  eye  is  blind  and  can  not  see 
Him,  and  the  ear  is  deaf  and  can  not  hear  Him  speak." 
This  is  the  position  which  He  desires  to  occupy.  He 
is  not  a  local  divinity.  His  aid  is  not  limited  by  time 
nor  place.  "  I  am  with  you  alway,  even  unto  the  end 
of  the  world,"  is  the  promise  which  greets  the  aspira- 
tion of  each  individual  soul  in  the  Arctic  regions  or 
at  the  Tropics,  in  the  first  century  or  in  the  last.  I 
once  asked  that  most  devout  of  our  American  poets 


JES  US  OF  NAZARE  TH.  2 1 1 

— Dr.  Ray  Palmer — to  describe  to  me  the  state  of 
feeling  under  which  he  composed  his  hymns  ;  and  he 
answered  promptly  that  a  vivid  consciousness  of  the 
reality  of  sacred  things  took  possession  of  him,  and 
that  then  the  hymns  appeared  to  form  themselves. 
As  an  illustration  of  his  thought,  he  repeated  a  few 
lines  of  the  hymn  beginning : 

"Jesus,  these  eyes  have  never  seen 

That  radiant  form  of  Thine, 
The  veil  of  sense  hangs  dark  between 

Thy  blessed  face  and  mine. 
I  see  Thee  not,  I  hear  Thee  not, 

Yet  art  Thou  oft  with  me  ; 
And  earth  hath  ne'er  so  dear  a  spot 

As  where  I  meet  with  Thee." 

"  Now,  that  hymn,"  he  continued,  "  as  I  was  meditat- 
ing upon  our  dear  Lord's  sympathy,  in  the  quiet  of 
my  study,  came  into  my  mind,  and  I  had  nothing  to 
do  but  to  place  it  upon  paper."  We  may  almost  envy 
the  good  man  his  possession  of  such  a  vivid  conscious- 
ness, and  yet  we  are  not  to  despair  of  equalling  it 
ourselves.  For  it  is  within  our  reach.  We  may  en- 
joy this  spiritual  estimate  of  the  Saviour,  and  then 
He  will  no  longer  be  remote  and  mythical  to  us,  but 
we  shall  find  Him  "  a  very  present  help  in  trouble." 

How  shall  we  feel  our  way  back  into  the  presence 
of  Jesus  of  Nazareth,  the  Son  of  Joseph  ?  What 
silken  cord  can  we  find  which  will  conduct  us  through 
the  intricate  labyrinth  of  living  and  dead  civilizations, 


212  JESUS  OF  NAZARETH. 

until  we  reach  the  imperial  years  of  ancient  Rome 
and  walk  the  streets  of  old  Jerusalem  ?  Can  we  hope 
to  obtain  a  clear  estimate  of  the  life  which  Mary  nur- 
tured and  Pilate  surrendered  to  crucifixion,  whose 
lustre  has  brightened  with  each  passing  century  and 
whose  influence  has  raised  humanity  to  a  position 
which  is  prophetic  of  a  glory  still  reserved  ? 

There  is  in  the  world  at  present,  an  institution 
which  is  called  the  Church,  and  a  collection  of  writ- 
ings which  is  called  the  Holy  Scriptures.  There  is, 
also,  a  distinctive  mode  of  life  which  bears  the  name 
Christian.  No  one  will  question  either  of  these  state- 
ments. One  end  of  a  threefold  cord  is  within  our 
reach — the  Church  is  a  reality,  the  Bible  is  a  reality, 
Christian  life  is  a  reality.  And  these  three  realities 
are  as  intimately  related  as  the  three  threads  of  a 
cord.  They  are  all  of  a  very  early  origin.  Yester- 
day will  not  explain  them,  nor  the  day  before.  They 
were  in  the  world  when  Charlemagne  received  from 
Leo  III.  the  iron  crown  of  the  Western  Empire, 
and  even  when  Constantine  established  his  capital  on 
the  shores  of  the  Bosphorus.  By  the  consent  of  all 
intelligent  historians  they  were  known  when  Nero 
made  Rome  hideous  by  his  debaucheries  and  crimes ; 
and  even  when  Tiberius  ended  his  miserable  career 
at  Misenum  in  the  year  37,  there  was  a  church,  and 
there  were  Christians  to  witness  to  the  reality  of 
Jesus  Christ  the   Saviour.     Then,  too,  a  portion   of 


JESUS  OF  NAZARETH.  213 

the  Bible — the  Old  Testament — was  in  existence  ; 
and  evangelists  and  apostles  were  soon  to  announce 
the  New  Testament,  as  the  Gospels  and  Epistles, 
which  now  constitute  a  sacred  canon,  came  from  their 
hands.  I  have  led  you  along  a  beaten  path  in  our 
progress  over  the  centuries  to  this  very  early  date. 
The  best  scholarship  is  our  guide.  We  can  meet  a 
Church  and  Christians  in  the  year  37,  and  a  Church 
and  Christians  and  a  large  part  of  the  New  Testa- 
ment before  the  death  of  Nero  in  the  year  68. 

Our  guide,  moreover,  has  conducted  us  across  the 
broad  Atlantic,  between  the  Pillars  of  Hercules,  over 
the  blue  waters  of  the  Mediterranean,  and  into  the 
country  of  Abraham,  Isaac,  and  Jacob.  If  we  must 
look  to  Runnymede  to  discover  the  beginnings  of 
English  liberty ;  if  we  must  look  to  Wittenberg  to 
locate  the  beginnings  of  the  Reformation  ;  if  we  must 
go  to  Philadelphia  to  see  the  cradle  of  American  In- 
dependence, we  must  visit  the  Holy  Land  to  find  the 
birth-place  of  Him  whose  presence  is  the  only  intelli- 
gent explanation  of  the  Church,  of  Christian  life,  of 
the  New  Testament.  The  land  and  the  Book  agree 
perfectly.  With  an  open  Bible  the  traveller  visits  the 
scenes,  ever  to  be  memorable  through  their  associa- 
tion with  the  life.  The  Jordan  stills  flows  tumult- 
ously from  its  fountain  spring  on  Hermon  to  the  dull 
and  lifeless  waters  of  the  bitter  sea  ;  while  Hermon 
still  lifts  its  snow-capped  head  above  the  heights  of 


214  JESUS  OF  NAZARETH. 

Lebanon  to  guard,  as  a  lonely  sentinel,  the  interests 
of  hill  and  dale.  Nazareth  nestles  as  of  old  on  the 
side  of  a  peaceful,  gentle  slope  ;  and  Bethlehem  wel- 
comes her  shepherds  as  in  days  when  David  kept  the 
flock  of  Jesse.  Olivet  greets  each  sunrise,  and  from 
its  summit  sends  tidings,  in  the  glory  of  a  bright 
illumination,  that  Jerusalem  may  prepare  to  honor 
the  coming  day;  and  the  Holy  City  preserves,  with 
an  unconscious  fidelity,-  many  of  the  localities  which 
the  reverence  of  devotion  will  always  cherish.  The 
land  is  a  study.  We  may  rebuild  its  towns  and 
cities,  repeople  its  dwellings  and  streets,  and  move 
among  the  men  and  women  who  were  the  compan- 
ions of  Jesus  of  Nazareth,  the  son  of  Joseph. 

For  He,  we  may  rest  assured,  must  explain  the 
origin  of  the  Church,  of  the  Christian  life,  the  New 
Testament.  "  Shall  we  be  told,"  asked  Theodore 
Parker,*  "  such  a  man  never  lived  ;  the  whole  story 
is  a  lie  ?  Suppose  that  Plato  and  Newton  never 
lived ;  that  their  story  is  a  lie  ?  But  who  did  their 
works  and  thought  their  thought  ?  It  takes  a  New- 
ton to  forge  a  Newton.  What  man  could  have  fabri- 
cated a  Jesus?  None  but  a  Jesus."  We  may  be- 
lieve then  that  He  lived.  Indeed,  we  can  not  help 
believing  this  sublime  fact.  Interpret  the  New  Tes- 
tament as  we  may,  sift  its  narratives  with  the  violence 


Discourse  of  Religion,"  p.  294. 


JESUS  OF  NAZARETH.  2 1 5 

of  a  most  reckless  criticism,  and  we  must  still  believe 
that  He  lived.  The  main  facts  of  His  life  are  gener- 
ally accepted.  He  was  here  among  men.  A  life,  rich 
and  bountiful,  had  its  residence  in  Judea  and  Gali- 
lee. The  simple  narratives  of  the  evangelists  acquaint 
us  with  its  principal  events.  For,  as  the  author  of 
the  familiar  essay  on  "  The  Christ  of  History,"*  re- 
marked many  years  ago,  "  It  is  abundantly  demon- 
strable that  the  evangelists,  instead  of  embodying  a 
conception  of  their  own  minds,  must  have  witnessed 
the  life  which  they  describe,  never  could  have  con- 
ceived it  unless  they  had  first  witnessed  it,  and  were 
able  to  represent  it  in  the  manner  they  have  done, 
offly  because  It  had  actually  passed  under  their  imme- 
diate and  frequent  observation." 

While  Joseph  of  Nazareth,  with  Mary,  his  espoused 
wife,  were  in  Bethlehem,  the  child  Jesus  was  born. 
They  had  gone  to  their  ancestral  town  because  they 
were  of  the  house  and  lineage  of  David,  to  be  en- 
rolled in  a  census  which  had  been  ordered  by  the 
Emperor  Augustus.  Jewish  law,  to  which  the  Ro- 
mans paid  respect  whenever  they  could  do  so  without 
inconvenience,  insisted  that  names  should  be  entered 
in  the  respective  family  towns.  Thus  it  came  to  pass 
that  a  proclamation  of  a  heathen  ruler  combined  with 
the  national  zeal  of  a  God-fearing  race  to  make  pos- 


*  Page  24. 


2 1 6  JESUS  OF  NAZARETH. 

sible  the  fulfilment  of  an  ancient  prophecy.  For 
Micah  had  designated  Bethlehem  as  the  birth-place 
of  the  Messiah  ;  and  the  Jews  interpreted  his  proph- 
ecy aright  when  they  insisted  that  no  other  town 
could  lay  claim  to  this  distinction.  Soon  after  His 
birth  the  babe  was  carried  to  Egypt  to  escape  the 
wrath  of  King  Herod,  who  had  learned  that  great 
expectations  were  associated  with  the  birth  of  a  babe 
in  Bethlehem.  Then,  when  Herod  was  dead,  Joseph 
and  Mary  returned  with  Jesus,  and  made  their  home 
in  Nazareth,  where  the  boy  "  increased  in  wisdom 
and  stature  and  in  favor  with  God  and  man."  There 
is  no  reason  for  believing  that  He  was  unlike  other 
boys,  except  in  the  perfect  freshness,  purity,  and 
beauty  of  His  young  life.  He  was  with  His  mother, 
whose  heart  was  filled  with  strange  hopes  concern- 
ing Him,  and  with  Joseph,  whose  daily  toil  brought 
him  into  contact  with  the  tools  and  the  workmanship 
of  a  carpenter's  shop.  Theirs  was  a  religious  home. 
The  Holy  Scriptures  were  explained,  and  the  devout 
psalms  of  the  Hebrews  were  sung.  Questions  were 
encouraged  and  answers  were  patiently  given.  If 
there  were  other  children  there,  and  such  seems  to 
have  been  the  case,  then  Jesus  had  the  companion- 
ship of  brothers  and  sisters  ;  and  thus,  even  in  His 
early  life,  His  presence  was  expressive  of  the  sacred- 
ness  of  the  family.  Nazareth  had  its  synagogue, 
and  the   household  of  Joseph  could   not  have  neg- 


JES  US  OF  NAZARE  TH.  2 1 7 

lcctcd  the  public  worship  of  their  fathers.  The  great 
festivals  in  Jerusalem  also  received  their  respectful 
attention  ;  and  at  twelve  years  of  age  the  boy  was 
permitted  to  join  the  caravan  of  pilgrims  who  went 
up  to  the  Holy  City  to  the  Passover.  There  He 
seemed  to  discover  a  wonderful  capacity  for  religion. 
He  drew  to  Himself,  with  magnetic  power,  the  learned 
doctors  of  the  Temple,  who  were  astonished  at  His 
understanding  and  answers.  But  He  was  not  unduly 
forward.  Quietly  submitting  Himself  to  His  mother, 
He  went  back  to  Nazareth,  where  eighteen  years  of 
His  important  life  were  passed  in  simple,  humble 
labor.  He  entered  the  carpenter's  shop,  and  did 
His  work,  day  by  day,  for  the  people  of  the  village. 
This — let  us  not  fail  to  grasp  the  thought — was  a  most 
instructive  part  of  His  career.  Greatness,  surpass- 
ing greatness,  is  His  by  universal  consent.  He  out- 
ranks the  most  illustrious  of  the  sons  of  men.  Yet 
He  passed  a  large  part  of  His  life  upon  the  earth  in 
the  ordinary  work  of  a  mechanic.  He  was  a  poor 
man  up  to  the  last,  without  dwelling  and  without 
purse.  Thus  He  has  ennobled  labor  and  dignified 
poverty,  and  given  His  approval  to  a  quiet,  unobtru- 
sive life,  which  meets  each  day's  duties  in  the  fear  of 
God. 

We  can  see  Him  at  the  age  of  thirty,  as  He  bids  His 
mother  "  good-bye,"  and  starts  out  upon  His  sublime 
mission.     There  is  a  stir  in  the  land.     John  the  Bap- 
10 


21 8  JESUS  OF  NAZARETH. 

tist  has  produced  a  profound  impression.  Jesus  is 
on  His  way  to  the  Jordan,  where  He  is  instantly 
recognized  as  of  a  superior  quality,  as  possessing 
higher  claims.  "  As  when  some  unknown  dread 
checks  the  flight  of  the  eagle,  and  makes  him  settle 
with  hushed  scream  and  drooping  plumage  on  the 
ground,  so  before  '  the  royalty  of  inward  happiness,' 
before  the  purity  of  sinless  life,  the  wild  prophet  of 
the  desert  becomes  like  a  submissive  and  timid  child." 
Such  is  Canon  Farrar's  beautiful  comment  upon  the 
scene  at  the  Baptism.  From  the  Jordan,  He  goes 
into  the  Desert,  from  which  He  comes  forth  after 
forty  days  completely  equipped  for  His  work.  He  has 
beert  tried,  and  has  conquered.  He  is  now  ready  to 
teach  and  to  preach,  to  suffer  and  to  die.  The  busy 
weeks  group  themselves  rapidly  into  months,  and  the 
months  soon  form  the  three  years,  which  are  the 
limit  of  His  earthly  mission.  He  went  from  place  to 
place,  instructing  the  people  in  righteousness,  and 
healing  the  sick,  and  relieving  distress  in  many  ways. 
Consciously  He  met  the  prediction  of  Isaiah,  who 
wrote  of  the  Messiah :  "  The  Spirit  of  the  Lord  is 
upon  me,  because  the  Lord  hath  anointed  me  to 
preach  good  tidings  unto  the  meek ;  He  hath  sent  me 
to  bind  up  the  broken-hearted,  to  proclaim  liberty  to 
the  captives,  and  the  opening  of  the  prison  to  them 
that  are  bound,  to  proclaim  the  acceptable  year  of 
the  Lord."    As  His  influence  extended,  the  enmity  of 


JESUS  OF  NAZARETH.  219 

the  Jews,  whose  venerated  traditions  He  weakened 
or  destroyed,  became  violent  in  its  opposition.  They 
could  not  endure  His  presence.  At  every  step  they 
opposed  Him.  Soon  the  cross  and  the  sepulchre  put 
an  end  to  His  activity  ;  and  His  name,  covered  with 
reproaches,  was  the  ridicule  and  scorn,  of  Jerusalem. 
Then  to  His  disciples  came  the  helpful,  inspiring 
consciousness  that  He  had  arisen  from  the  dead. 
This  they  believed  with  an  intensity  of  faith,  which 
no  persecutions  could  weaken,  no  hardships  destroy, 
no  time  efface.  It  became  the  faith  of  Christendom, 
quickening  intelligence,  enlarging  activity,  sustaining 
perilous  undertakings  in  the  interests  of  humanity, 
undermining  old  forms  of  superstition,  and  illumin- 
ing the  horizon  of  each  century  with  a  celestial  ra- 
diance. We  accept  it  now ;  and  while  we  believe  in 
"Jesus  and  the  resurrection,"  we  can  speak  to  every 
anxious,  troubled  thought  with  a  divine  assurance ; 
we  can  guide  every  perplexing  inquiry  with  a  divine 
leadership ;  we  can  soothe  the  agony  of  death  and 
relieve  the  gloom  of  the  grave  with  a  divine  hope. 
The  fact — so  grandly  evident — that  Jesus  Christ  has 
appeared  is  the  basis  of  our  strength,  our  courage, 
our  endurance,  and  our  peace. 

And  this  fact  stands  not  alone  like  some  solitary 
minaret,  tall,  slender,  and  unsustained.  Both  proph- 
ecy and  history  brace  it  securely — prophecy,  which 
has  its  records  through  many  centuries,  and  which 


220  JESUS  OF  NAZARETH. 

demands  a  fact  like  this ;  and  history,  whose  great 
foundation-stones  are  the  events  which  are  asso- 
ciated with  this  fact.  It  may  seem  hard  to  believe, 
and  yet  it  is  harder  not  to  believe.  Criticism  is  easy, 
and  often  cheap,  but  no  criticism  may  hope  to  re- 
move from  the  moral  world  this  central  Sun  of 
Righteousness,  whose  control  is  evident  in  the  in- 
creasing order  of  the  spheres. 

3d.  Prophecy  and  history  unite  in  commending 
Jesus  Christ  as  the  Mediator,  through  whom  divine 
help  is  secured  by  man.  We  are  not  careful  to  ex- 
plain, now  and  here,  how  this  help  reaches  us  through 
the  mediation  of  Jesus  Christ.  The  fact  alone  is  for 
present  emphasis.  You  and  I  need  help.  We  need 
it  sorely.  We  are  directed  to  Jesus  Christ.  He  is 
evidently  a  real  personage.  Through  Him  God's 
help  is  to  reach  us.  For  Paul,  who  is  an  acknowl- 
edged leader  of  Christian  thought,  has  said  :  "  There 
is  one  God,  and  one  mediator  between  God  and  men, 
the  man  Christ  Jesus."  His  mediation  touches  us 
on  the  one  hand,  and  God  on  the  other.  When  we 
submit  to  Him,  we  discover  the  blessedness  of  par- 
don, of  sustaining  grace,  of  a  life  which  takes  hold 
upon  eternity.  And  all  this  is  divine.  Meeting  the 
approved  conditions,  we  secure  the  desired  result. 
A  holy  life,  strong  and  capable,  solicits  us.  That 
life  is  within  our  reach.  We  may  behold  its  excel- 
lence.    We  may  consider  its  method.     We  may  ac- 


JESUS  OF  NAZARETH.  22I 

cept  its  aid.  Prophecy  and  history  unite  in  giving  us 
a  life.  What  gift  so  excellent?  A  life.  What  gift 
so  encouraging?  A  life.  What  gift  so  divine ?  Help 
is  sent  us  by  God  through  a  life.  A  life,  which  was 
lived  upon  our  own  plane ;  a  life  of  simple,  familiar 
virtues  and  graces;  a  life  of  absolute  perfection  which 
knows  no  decay,  only  expansion  forever ;  a  life  whose 
service  is  self-sacrifice,  and  whose  honor  is  humility ; 
a  life  which  confronts  with  its  rebukes  every  form  of 
prodigality,  and  which  cheers  with  its  promises  faith- 
fulness of  every  form  ;  a  life  whose  daily  blessing  is 
the  divine  approval,  and  whose  ultimate  coronation 
is  perfect  resemblance  to  the  Lord.  Oh !  what  a 
gift  is  this!  Can  we  reject  it?  Are  we  willing  to 
plod  along  in  our  own  living  without  a  glimpse  of 
this  sacred  life,  without  a  purpose  to  secure  its  ex- 
cellence ?  God  forbid  !  We  are,  indeed,  a  favored 
people.  Our  opportunity  is  sublime.  We  should 
embrace  it.  For  we  may  fail  of  riches — most  men 
do  ;  and  of  honors,  there  are  few  who  gain  them  ; 
and  of  ease,  life  may  be  toil  to  the  end  ;  and  of 
health,  sickness  maybe  our  heritage;  and  of  pleas- 
ure, sorrow  may  never  leave  us  while  we  continue 
here ;  but  oh !  let  us  not  fail  of  this  life  which  God 
offers  to  us  through  Jesus  Christ. 

And  to  this  end,  begin  now,  in  humble  penitence 
for  sin  and  simple  confidence  in  the  grace  provided, 
and  live  forever  with  Jesus  Christ  as  Saviour ;  for  He 
is  Prophet,  Priest,  and  King. 


222  JESUS  OF  NAZARETH. 

My  friends,  when  Philip  addressed  Nathanael  and 
urged  him  to  inquire  personally  of  Jesus,  Christian 
history  had  hardly  written  the  first  sentence  of  the 
record  which  now  fills  the  libraries  of  the  world.  A 
day  or  two  of  a  sacred  friendship — that  was  all — was 
back  of  his  entreaty.  Yet  Nathanael  regarded  the 
invitation,  and  his  inquiry  became  his  salvation.  We 
come  now  with  a  similar  urgency  to  commend  to  you 
a  Saviour  who  has  approved  Himself  in  all  parts  of 
the  world,  in  every  generation,  unto  every  age,  class, 
and  condition.  Will  you  not  look  to  Him  as  a  Saviour, 
and  seek  the  help  that  you  need,  through  His  gra- 
cious intercession  ? 


XII. 


THE    GRACIOUS   WORDS.— WHAT    WERE 
THEY? 

"  And  all  bare  Him  witness,  and  wondered  at  the 
gracious  words  which  proceeded  out  of  His 
mouthy — Luke  iv.  22. 

When  Jesus  entered  the  synagogue  of  Nazareth 
on  the  Sabbath  of  His  memorable  discourse,  He  was 
instantly  recognized  as  the  Rabbi  whose  teaching 
had  been  received  with  enthusiasm  in  many  parts  of 
Galilee.  Since  He  had  gone  out  from  His  home,  He 
had  visited  John  the  Baptist  and  had  spent  forty  days 
in  the  Desert ;  He  had  selected  a  few  disciples  and 
had  exhibited  His  power  at  Cana,  where  water  was 
converted  into  wine ;  He  had  made  an  impression 
upon  the  Jews  of  Jerusalem,  to  whom  He  had  for- 
mally presented  Himself  as  the  Messiah,  and  He  had 
continued  His  labors  in  Judea  after  His  Messianic 
claims  had  been  rejected  by  the  leaders  of  the  Chosen 
People;  He  had  returned  through  Samaria  into  His 
own  country,  where  His  voice  had  been  heard  in 
many  synagogues.     With  an  established  reputation, 

with  a  recognized  popularity,  He  came  back  to  Naza- 

(223) 


224  THE  GRACIOUS  WORDS. 

reth,  and  promptly  responded  to  the  desire  of  His 
townsmen  that  He  should  address  them.  The  roll 
of  the  prophecy  of  Isaiah,  which  contained  the  second 
Scripture  lesson  of  the  day,  was  placed  in  His  hands, 
and  after  He  had  selected  a  passage  in  what  is  now 
known  as  the  6ist  chapter  of  that  sublime  revelation, 
He  began  to  read.  When  He  had  read  but  one  sen- 
tence of  the  prophecy,  He  paused,  rolled  up  the 
parchment,  handed  it  to  the  attendant,  and  sat  down. 
These  actions  were  indicative  of  His  intention  to 
speak.     Instantly  every  eye  was  fixed  upon  Him. 

To  the  amazement  of  His  hearers,  He  said  that  the 
venerated  prophecy,  which  so  evidently  anticipated 
the  appearance  of  the  Messiah,  was  fulfilled  by  His 
presence,  and  that  it  was  His  mission  to  bless  the 
poor,  to  cheer  the  afflicted,  to  give  liberty  to  the 
captive,  and  knowledge  to  the  ignorant,  and  freedom 
to  the  slave,  and  thus  to  introduce  the  year  of  jubilee. 
These  startling  announcements  were  followed  by  an 
exposition  of  the  truth  of  Redemption,  which  led 
that  audience  of  Nazarenes  through  many  varieties 
of  intense  feeling.  At  first  they  were  charmed  by 
His  manner;  then  they  became  curious  as  they  ob- 
served His  composure,  and  associated  His  claims 
with  His  very  humble  station  in  life  ;  soon  they 
wondered  at  the  gracious  words  which  proceeded  out 
of  His  mouth  ;  then  they  began  to  whisper  questions 
to  one  another,  which  were  expressive  of  jealousy ; 


THE  GRACIOUS  WORDS.  225 

at  last  their  wrath  over  His  assumptions  could  not 
be  restrained.  They  denounced  Him  openly.  With 
the  vehemence  of  a  mob  they  rushed  upon  Him, 
drove  Him  out  of  the  synagogue,  hurried  Him  to  a 
rocky  eminence  near  by,  and  prepared  to  cast  Him 
down  headlong.  But  He  escaped  their  violence,  and 
crossing  the  hills  to  Capernaum  established  His  resi- 
dence in  that  friendly  city. 

This  sermon,  preached  in  the  synagogue  of  Naza- 
reth, announced  the  idea  which  He  continued  to 
elaborate  and  enforce.  What  that  idea  is,  and  what  its 
applications  are,  may  be  known  by  any  disciple  who 
studies  the  "teaching  of  Jesus.  The  record  of  that 
teaching,  as  it  is  found  in  the  Gospels,  is  easily  under- 
stood. Within  the  compass  of  a  small  tract,  His 
words  may  all  be  contained.  An  hour  or  two  will 
suffice  for  their  reading.  Buf  no  one  can  estimate 
their  influence  ;  no  one  can  sound  their  depths  ;  no 
one  can  measure  their  expansive  possibilities.  They 
have  met  each  new  life  with  a  pertinent  lesson  ;  they 
have  addressed  each  new  social  condition  with  their 
counsel  and  hope  ;  they  have  exhibited  an  adaptation 
to  every  phase  of  human  need ;  they  carry  the  prom- 
ise of  everlasting  blessedness  in  the  perfection  of 
eternal  life.  What,  then,  is  this  important  teaching? 
What  did  He  say? 

1st.  In  His  teaching,  Jesus  Christ  insisted  upon 
the  necessity  of  a  personal  union  with  God.  The 
10* 


226  THE  GRACIOUS  WORDS. 

conception  of  this  sacred  union  was  the  central  idea 
of  His  teaching.  He  recognized  the  fact,  so  pain- 
fully evident,  that  there  has  been  a  rebellion  which 
has  separated  God  and  man.  Man  draws  away  from, 
and  defies  the  authority  of,  God.  He  does  not  wish 
to  retain  God  in  his  knowledge.  If  he  could  have 
his  own  way,  he  would  dispense  with  God  entirely. 
"  The  carnal  mind  is  enmity  against  God."  How 
frequently  endeavors  have  been  put  forth  to  con- 
struct a  theory  of  creation,  of  natural  and  moral 
order,  which  shall  contain  no  recognition  of  God ! 
How  often  a  bitter  resistance  is  encountered  when 
the  authority  of  God  is  emphasized  and  the  de- 
mands of  His  Word  are  pressed  upon  the  conscience  ! 
Yet  why  should  man  hate  God,  why  should  man 
shrink  back  from  God,  why  should  man  hesitate  to 
welcome  cordially  every  overture  on  the  part  of  God  ? 
God  is  infinitely  glorious,  and  the  truest  dignity  of 
life  must  be  associated  with  the  blessedness  of  receiv- 
ing Him.  The  question  should  never  arise — and  but 
for  sin  it  would  never  arise — as  to  my  willingness  to 
be  the  friend  of  God  ;  for  there  is  another  question 
of  far  greater  moment  to  me,  which  brings  me  to 
inquire  as  to  God's  willingness  to  be  my  friend.  Sin 
alone  can  answer  for  this  unbelief.  But  for  the  sepa- 
rating, repelling  influence  of  sin,  every  man  would 
turn  to  God  as  naturally  and  promptly  as  the  flowers 
turn  to  the  sun.     Sin,  however,  awakens  prejudices, 


THE  GRACIOUS  WORDS. 


227 


misunderstandings,  bitterness  of  feeling,  so  that  the 
gracious  Father  of  us  all  is  neglected  and  even  hated 
by  the  children  whom  He  blesses  every  day.  How 
many  men  there  are  upon  our  streets — good  men  as 
the  estimate  of  the  world  goes — who  never  recognize 
God  in  prayer  or  praise !  They  are  engrossed  with 
the  cares  of  business.  The  consciousness  of  God  has 
gone  out  of  their  lives.  They  will  tell  you  what 
they  do  not  believe  about  God,  and  yet  they  seldom 
arrange  the  thoughts  which  are  indicative  of  a  posi- 
tive belief  in  His  power  and  love.  Surely  they  are 
not  united  to  God !  Whatever  advantages  may  be 
realized  from  union  with  Him,  they  are  unable  to  say 
that  they  possess  them.  Life  moves  swriftly  to  its 
close  ;  opportunity  ceases  to  extend  its  invitations. 
The  last  word  is  spoken.  The  realities  of  an  eternal 
state  must  be  met  without  hope  in  God.  Why  should 
this  be  so?  What  excuse  can  be  given  for  neglect 
like  this  ?  Is  it  not  a  fearful  evidence  of  the  sinful- 
ness of  sin  that  goodness  and  purity  and  holiness  and 
love  in  God  are  rejected  by  a  weak,  feeble  mortal, 
who  is  dependent  in  every  hour  of  his  life,  and  who 
is  rapidly  hastening  to  the  tomb  ? 

With  an  insight  which  itself  is  an  argument  in 
favor  of  His  divine  origin,  Jesus  Christ  pointed  to 
this  estrangement  between  God  and  man  as  the 
deep-seated  cause  of  all  present  difficulties.  He  did 
not  grope  His  way  to  this  profound  estimate.     It  was 


228  THE  GRACIOUS  WORDS. 

announced  at  the  beginning  of  His  public  ministry. 
When  He  entered  upon  His  career  He  began  to  pro- 
claim the  presence  of  the  kingdom  of  God,  and  the 
consequent  necessity  of  repentance.  This  kingdom, 
it  has  been  said,  "  is  the  reign  of  God  in  men,  when  the 
Father  of  minds  shall  be  known,  loved,  and  revered 
by  His  children.  It  is  the  reign  of  righteousness, 
purity,  truth,  love,  and  peace,  the  universal  reception 
and  dominion  among  men  of  all  true,  just,  holy, 
generous,  and  divine  principles.  It  is  the  highest 
stage  of  religious,  moral,  intellectual,  social,  and  in- 
dividual cultivation.  It  is  the  noblest  development 
possible  on  this  earth  of  all  the  attributes  and  capa- 
bilities of  humanity.  It  is  spiritual  victory  after  the 
battle  of  thousands  of  ages.  It  is  the  triumph  of 
good  and  of  God  over  moral  and  physical  evil." 

In  His  prayer  of  intercession,  Jesus  Christ  evidently 
reviews  His  work.  The  leading  features  of  that  work 
are  enumerated  as  the  basis,  or  ground,  of  the  plea 
which  He  presents  on  behalf  of  all  Christians.  We 
discover,  at  once,  His  central  idea.  Again  and  again 
in  the  course  of  the  prayer  He  refers  to  the  union 
which  He  has  established  between  God  and  man,  as 
well  as  to  His  desire  that  this  union  may  extend  until 
it  shall  include  a  countless  multitude,  "  that  they  all 
may  be  one ;  as  Thou,  Father,  art  in  me,  and  I  in 
Thee,  that  they  also  may  be  one  in  us  ;  that  the  world 
may  believe  that  Thou  hast  sent  me." 


THE  GRACIOUS   WORDS. 


229 


To  make  this  sublime  idea  a  possibility,  it  was 
essential  that  man  should  be  made  acquainted  with 
God.  God's  character  must  be  known,  God's  pur- 
pose must  be  appreciated,  God's  love  must  be  an- 
nounced, if  man  is  to  be  united  to  God.  For  no  man 
of  himself  imagines  that  God  really  wishes  to  be  his 
friend,  that  God  is  willing  to  accept  him  just  as  he  is, 
that  God  is  seeking  him  with  an  intensity  of  solici- 
tude which  is  the  marvel  of  revelation.  The  prev- 
alent feeling  is  that  a  man  must  fix  himself  up  to 
appear  before  God,  that  he  must  make  himself  better, 
that  he  must  do  something  to  merit  the  divine  favor. 
Jesus  Christ  brushed  away  every  one  of  those  misty 
conceptions  about  God,  to  reveal  the  clear  outlines  of 
the  Father's  benignant  countenance.  He  exhibited 
God's  interest  in  a  sinful  race,  and  made  very  evident 
God's  desire  to  have  man  united  to  Him.  He  gave 
the  assurance  of  God's  willingness  to  impart  His  own 
life  to  the  soul  of  the  penitent  believer.  He  taught 
the  language  of  a  prayer,  whose  first  sentence,  "  Our 
Father,  which  art  in  Heaven,"  is  the  announce- 
ment of  splendid  possibilities.  He  brought  God  out 
of  the  dimness  of  obscurity  into  the  reality  of  daily 
life,  from  the  hills  and  the  caves  and  the  oceans,  where 
the  superstitions  of  mythology  had  fixed  the  resi- 
dences of  many  divinities,  into  the  cities,  the  homes, 
and  the  hearts  of  our  race,  from  the  attitude  of  a 
dreaded,  avenging  Nemesis  to  that  of  a  considerate 


230  THE  GRACIOUS  WORDS. 

loving  friend.  God  stands  with  outstretched  hands 
of  welcome,  with  tender  entreaties  of  solicitude,  with 
gentle  persuasiveness  in  every  appeal,  to  call  to  Him- 
self a  guilty,  weak,  and  helpless  race.  We  have  the 
assurance  that  He  desires  us ;  and  we  have  the  added 
assurance  that  we  are  capable  of  meeting  Him,  of 
enjoying  His  love,  of  being  thus  united  to  Him. 

All  this  is  included  in  the  teaching  of  Jesus  Christ. 
He  has  made  us  acquainted  with  God,  and  He  has 
made  us  acquainted  with  ourselves.  Then  He  has 
still  further  explained  the  method  of  this  most  desir- 
able union,  by  what  He  has  said  respecting  His  own 
death.  For  that  death  has  removed  every  obstacle 
which  has  stood  in  the  way  of  our  acceptance,  and  it 
makes  to  us  all  a  most  influential  appeal.  Never 
does  God's  love  seem  so  strong  as  when  we  contem- 
plate its  manifestation  in  the  death  upon  the  cross, 
and  never  does  His  appeal  seem  so  tender  as  when  we 
hear  it  from  the  lips  which  uttered  the  agonizing  cry : 
"My  God,  my  God,  why  hast  Thou  forsaken  me?" 
•'  Assuredly,"  observes  one  of  the  foremost  men  of 
our  times,*  "  no  other  had  ever  conceived  of  a  personal 
God,  of  an  infinite  power,  with  a  pure  and  awful 
holiness  of  spirit,  yet  careful  of  the  humblest,  mind- 
ful of  the  meanest,  and  with  the  temper  of  utter 
self-sacrifice  for  the  welfare  of  others  paramount   in 


*  Dr.  R.  S.  Storrs. 


THE  GRACIOUS  WORDS. 


231 


Him  !  "  Yet  this  was  the  idea  of  Jesus  of  Nazareth, 
these  were  "  the  gracious  words  which  proceeded  out 
of  His  mouth."  Union  with  God  is  possible  ;  union 
with  God  is  necessary  ;  union  with  God  is  the  sublime 
consummation  of  every  noble  hope. 

2d.  In  His  teaching,  Jesus  Christ  announced  a  per- 
sonal union  with  God  as  a  seed-truth,  which  opens  to 
influence  every  condition  of  life.  There  are  a  few 
truths  which  are  of  universal  application.  The  natural 
world  is  affected  in  every  smallest  atom  by  the  prin- 
ciple of  gravitation,  and  the  spiritual  world  is  intimate- 
ly related  to  the  sublime  truth  of  man's  union  with 
God.  This  truth  touches  the  characters,  the  fortunes, 
the  destinies  of  human  beings  in  all  the  wide  range 
of  diversified  personal  interests.  It  has  convictions 
for  the  sinner  and  consolations  for  the  saint ;  it  has  a 
strong,  helpful  hand  for  the  weak,  and  most  cordial 
relief  for  the  distressed  ;  it  breaks  the  fetters  which 
bind  the  slave,  and  suggests  a  solution  of  the  many 
problems  which  arise  between  strength  and  feeble- 
ness ;  it  anticipates  a  golden  age,  whose  quiet  pros- 
perity will  be  the  reign  of  love,  and  prepares  for  a 
celestial  residence  which  knows  sin  only  as  a  memory. 
The  great  Teacher  understood  Himself  when  He  re- 
fused to  be  diverted  from  its  proclamation.  He  was 
wiser  than  His  generation,  in  which  there  were  many 
learned  men,  who  were  seeking  to  establish  theories 
of  government  and  social  order.     They  would  have 


232  THE  GRACIOUS  WORDS. 

been  glad  to  have  heard  from  Him  upon  the  subjects 
of  pressing  interest.  The  Roman  Empire  had  recently 
come  into  existence, — would  He  favor  an  Empire  or  a 
Republic  ?  An  elaborate  revenue  system  was  opera- 
tive, would  He  approve  its  methods,  or  could  He  sug- 
gest one  better?  Intemperance  was  a  common  and 
a  destructive  vice,  would  He  advance  any  special 
counsels  on  the  use  of  intoxicating  drinks  ?  Slavery 
was  prevalent,  would  He  advocate  emancipation? 
The  rich  were  very  rich  and  the  poor  were  very  poor, 
would  He  advise  a  redistribution  of  property,  the 
enactment  of  corn  laws,  any  regulation  of  wages? 
Judaism  was  regarded  as  an  exclusive  national  re- 
ligion, would  He  outline  a  new  religious  policy,  with 
a  complete  organization,  an  elaborate  ritual,  a  pre- 
scribed code  ?  A  great  variety  of  religions  were 
recognized  in  the  different  parts  of  the  world,  would 
He  consider  this  diversity  in  His  announcements  of 
the  truth  ?  The  preeminent  greatness  of  Jesus  Christ 
was  manifested  in  His  self-restraint,  in  what  He  did 
not  say.  He  had  not  been  a  pupil  of  any  famous 
school,  nor  had  He  been  a  man  of  cities,  where  thought 
is  broader  than  it  is  in  provincial  towns,  nor  had  He 
travelled  into  foreign  parts  to  study  the  customs  and 
needs  of  his  fellow-men.  He  was  a  Nazarene  ;  and 
Nazareth  was  renowned  for  illiberality  and  narrow- 
ness of  spirit.  Yet  when  He  began  to  teach  He  an- 
nounced a  truth,  which  is  the  germ  of  every  important 


THE  GRACIOUS  WORDS. 


233 


truth,  whose  influence  touches  individual  or  social 
life.  This  truth  He  grasped  firmly.  Nothing  could 
shake  His  hold  upon  it.  He  appreciated  its  character, 
and  He  was  convinced  that  He  could  best  do  His  work 
as  a  teacher  by  insisting  upon  its  importance.  His 
was  the  prophet's  vision.  He  saw  the  interests  of  life 
in  their  true  relation.  Consequently  He  often  seemed 
to  be  conservative  and  timid  when  the  enthusiasm  of 
His  admirers  found  Him  unwilling  to  rush  into  the 
political  arena  or  to  head  a  popular  revolt.  He,  how- 
ever, was  wiser  than  they.  They  would  have  had 
Him  strike  a  blow,  which  would  have  wounded  or 
bruised  some  monster  of  tyranny  or  vice,  while  He 
was  resolutely  preparing  to  destroy  the  monster.  For 
the  truth  of  union  with  God  when  once  accepted, 
would  inevitably  break  up  venerable  systems  of  super- 
stition, of  slavery,  of  social  oppression,  inasmuch  as 
the  prevalence  of  this  union  would  make  men  con- 
siderate and  forgiving,  gentle  and  kind,  and  thus,  by 
securing  a  new  life  in  the  individual  soul,  would  intro- 
duce "  the  new  heavens  and  the  new  earth  wherein 
dwelleth  righteousness."  In  this  He  was  not  wrong. 
Experience  has  approved  His  wisdom.  He  leads  the 
teachers  of  the  world,  because  He  has  presented  the 
one  truth  which  can  regenerate  society.  "  Suited 
alike,"  says  Dr.  Geikie,*  "  for   the  peasant  and   the 


*"  Life  of  Christ." 


234 


THE  GRACIOUS  WORDS. 


prince,  it  cared  nothing  for  outward  position,  or  the 
changes  of  states  or  nationality,  but  sought  only  to 
meet  the  wants  and  longings  of  man,  in  the  inner  in- 
finite world  of  the  heart  and  spirit  which  no  Herod 
could  reach.  Recognizing  all  good  wherever  found, 
it  gladly  drew  to  itself  all  that  was  true  and  pure,  and 
rejoiced  to  ally  itself  with  the  gifts  which  dignify 
human  nature.  The  friend  of  man,  it  saw  in  every 
soul  a  pearl,  hidden  or  visible,  and  ennobled  every 
honorable  human  calling  by  enlisting  it  in  the  service 

of  God The   sweet  fancy  of   the  Portuguese 

mariner,  who,  after  rounding  Cape  Horn  amidst  storm 
and  terrors,  found  that  the  ocean  on  which  he  had 
entered  lay  as  if  hushed  asleep  before  him,  and 
ascribed  its  calm  to  the  glittering  form  of  the  South- 
ern Cross  shining  down  on  it,  was  to  be  turned  into 
fact,  in  the  stillness  of  the  hitherto  troubled  soul 
under  the  light  of  the  Star  of  Bethlehem." 

It  will  not  be  amiss  to  exhibit  briefly  the  splendid 
possibilities  which  attend  this  idea  of  Jesus  Christ. 
Consider,  then,  how  amply  it  meets  every  require- 
ment of  personal  salvation.  Sin  has  separated  the 
soul  from  God.  The  soul  is  lost  in  view  of  this  sepa- 
ration. For  without  God  no  soul  can  realize  the  bless- 
edness of  the  eternal  Home.  Heaven  is  a  locality 
and  also  a  state.  Unless  the  state  harmonizes  with 
the  locality,  there  can  be  no  joy  in  Heaven.  An  un- 
reconciled sinner  in  Heaven  would  be  more  out  of 


THE  GRACIOUS  WORDS.  235 

place  than  a  pardoned  saint  in  Hell ;  for  the  saint  in 
Hell  might  find  some  ministry  of  relief  to  engage  his 
sympathies  ;  but  the  sinner  in  Heaven  would  know 
not  what  to  do.  It  is  worse  than  folly  for  any  one  to 
cherish  the  hope  that  he  will  somehow  find  a  place  in 
Heaven,  if  he  continues  to  neglect  God  while  here  upon 
the  earth.  We  must  be  in  the  heavenly  state,  if  we  ex- 
pect to  enjoy  the  heavenly  locality.  When  we  accept 
God's  gracious  invitation,  we  repent  of  sin  and  re- 
ceive His  pardon.  Then  we  become  united  to  Him 
by  faith  and  love ;  as  truly  and  vitally  united  as  the 
branch  is  united  to  the  vine,  or  the  body  to  the  head. 
This  is  what  Jesus  said  :  "  If  a  man  love  me  he  will 
keep  my  words,  and  my  Father  will  love  him,  and 
we  will  come  unto  him,  and  make  our  abode  with 
him."  This  is  the  beginning  of  Christian  life. .  Ob- 
serve its  pure  spirituality.  It  is  not  dependent  upon 
officiating  priest,  nor  upon  sacramental  grace,  nor 
upon  places,  orders,  nor  seasons.  The  life  begins  in 
each  soul  whenever  and  wherever  God  is  made  wel- 
come. The  relation  is  personal.  Each  for  himself 
must  become  united  to  God.  As  we  sit  here  in  the 
sanctuary  we  are  divided  in  view  of  this  relation. 
Some  of  us  have  accepted  God,  and  some  have 
not.  While  we  continue  here  we  may  quietly  yield 
to  God  and  rejoice  in  His  salvation,  and  may  carry 
hence,  as  we  go  out,  a  new  hope.  No  father  can  do 
this  great  work  for  his  child  ;  no  husband  can  make 


236  THE  GRACIOUS  WORDS. 

his  wife  receive  God  ;  no  friend  can  repent  and  be- 
lieve for  his  friend.  Each  for  himself.  Just  as  we  must 
die  alone,  so  must  we  enter  into  this  divine  life  alone. 
Then  the  progress  of  the  Christian  life  announces  its 
order  in  the  teaching,  which  says  :  "  He  that  abideth 
in  me  and  I  in  him,  the  same  bringeth  forth  much 
fruit."  Christian  fruitfulness  appears  in  the  virtues 
and  graces  of  the  Holy  Spirit — the  "  love,  joy,  peace, 
long-suffering,  gentleness,  goodness,  faith,  meekness, 
temperance"  of  a  godly  life.  Here  we  find  the  best 
preparation  for  the  service  of  earth  and  the  glory  of 
Heaven.  He  who  is  the  best  Christian  will  be  the  best 
citizen.  Social  life  demands  the  activity  of  the  laws 
which  Christianity  proclaims.  When  men  are  under 
the  control  of  these  laws  they  will  be  personally 
righteous,  and  their  intercourse  will  be  the  beautiful 
expression  of  the  power  of  a  divine  life.  I  do  not 
believe  that  we  shall  witness  the  loathsome  degrada- 
tion of  intemperance  when  men  are  united  to  God, 
nor  do  I  expect  then  to  hear  the  plaintive  cry  of  the 
slave  ;  I  do  not  believe  that  the  weak  will  be  neg- 
lected when  men  are  united  to  God,  nor  do  I  expect 
then  to  hear  of  wars  and  rumors  of  wars  ;  I  do  not  be- 
lieve that  the  class  distinctions,  which  seem  like  great 
chasms  in  our  civilization,  will  be  apparent  when  men 
are  united  to  God,  nor  do  I  expect  then  to  hear  the 
indifference  of  prosperity  and  the  curses  of  adversity 
from  the  sides  of  this  chasm.     My  faith  is  strong  that 


THE  GRACIOUS  WORDS.  237 

the  idea  of  Jesus  Christ  is  adequate  to  this  work. 
That  idea  has  already  asserted  itself,  and  the  bright- 
est pages  of  history  are  covered  with  the  records  of 
its  accomplishments.  We  need  more  faith.  I  am 
ashamed,  as  I  observe  the  weakness  of  our  faith — 
the  weakness  which  resorts  to  so  many  human  de- 
vices to  assist  the  omnipotence  of  the  Gospel.  This 
Gospel  is  a  vigorous  Samson,  without  any  of  the  folly 
of  Manoah's  son.  But  what  could  the  vigorous  Sam- 
son have  done,  if  timid  Israelites  had  bandaged  his 
limbs  for  safety,  had  put  a  crutch  under  his  arm  to 
help  him  walk,  and  had  loaded  him  with  a  giant's 
armor  to  increase  his  efficiency  ?  No  !  no  !  we  err 
sadly  when  we  do  not  trust  the  Gospel !  Jesus 
Christ  trusted  it.  Are  we  wiser  and  better  than 
was  He  ?  I  should  be  glad  to  witness  a  crusade 
against  oppression  and  iniquity  which  would  be  con- 
ducted on  His  plan,  with  His  idea.  It  may  be  well 
to  advocate  temperance,  but  there  is  a  more  funda- 
mental advocacy,  and  that  is  union  with  God  ;  it  may 
be  well  to  denounce  slavery,  but  slavery  is  doomed  if 
union  with  God  becomes  a  reality  ;  it  may  be  well  to 
insist  upon  honesty,  but  every  virtue  and  every  grace 
will  bloom  if  union  with  God  becomes  the  seed  of  a 
new  life.  Christianity  is  positive  morality.  It  dis- 
misses the  chill  and  barrenness  of  winter  by  intro- 
ducing the  warmth  and  verdure  of  spring. 

To  this  far-reaching  idea    Jesus  Christ   gave   His 


238  THE  GRACIOUS  WORDS. 

life.  He  was  one  of  the  few  teachers  who  have  an- 
nounced seed  truths  ;  i.  e.,  truths  which  open  and 
germinate  and  bear  fruit  through  the  centuries.  His 
truth  has  this  characteristic  :  it  is  the  most  sublime, 
the  most  comprehensive,  the  most  practical  of  all 
known  truths.  Two  worlds  are  considered  by  it. 
Two  conditions  wait  upon  its  instruction.  It  meets 
us  here  in  sin  and  misery,  and  it  establishes  us  there 
in  holiness  and  felicity  ;  it  contemplates  a  millennium 
of  peace  upon  the  earth  and  endless  ages  of  loving 
service  in  Heaven.  Compared  with  it,  what  shall  be 
said  of  the  destructive  godlessness  which  fills  the 
atmosphere  with  fire  and  smoke  ;  or  the  placid  ag- 
nosticism which  confesses  inability  to  believe  in  God, 
angel,  or  spirit ;  or  the  prevalent  worldliness  which 
burns  the  candle  of  opportunity  to  the  socket  and 
dies  in  darkness  ?  With  Christ's  idea  how  shall  we 
compare  these  many  ideas  which  are  current  in  re- 
view or  on  platform  ?  They  are  negations,  His  idea 
is  a  clear  statement  ;  they  condemn  us  to  hope- 
lessness, His  idea  encourages  effort ;  they  debase  our 
spirituality,  His  idea  is  instinct  with  glory  and  honor 
and  immortality.  We  may  safely  teach  His  teaching 
to  our  children  ;  we  may  safely  go  upon  the  street 
with  it  and  make  it  known  to  the  multitude  ;  we  may 
safely  cherish  it  for  our  dark  and  lonely  days.  Union 
with  God  !  It  is  the  polar  star  whose  mild  light  con- 
ducts the  mariner  over  life's  troubled  sea. 


THE  GRACIOUS  WORDS.  239 

3d.  In  His  teaching,  Jesus  Christ  made  Himself 
prominent  by  soliciting  a  love  whose  significance  is 
appreciated  in  this  personal  union  with  God.  This  is 
one  of  the  most  remarkable  features  of  His  teaching. 
He  did  not  carry  the  dignity  of  great  age,  for  He  was 
a  young  man  when  He  completed  His  work.  He 
did  not  enjoy  the  approval  of  the  great  Rabbis,  like 
Gamaliel,  for  He  was  rejected  by  the  principal  men 
of  the  Jews.  Yet  with  His  youth  and  His  humble 
station  in  life,  He  ventured  to  call  His  hearers  to 
Himself,  and  to  assure  them  that  they  would  become 
united  to  God  by  believing  on  Him.  What  would 
have  been  thought  of  Socrates  if  he  had  concluded 
his  addresses  to  the  young  men  of  Athens,  by  saying 
constantly :  "  Believe  on  me.  Accept  me.  Love  me. 
He  that  hath  seen  me  hath  seen  the  Father  !  "  Yet 
this  is  precisely  what  Jesus  of  Nazareth  said,  and  the 
call  from  His  lips  seems  quite  appropriate.  "  And  I, 
if  I  be  lifted  up  from  the  earth,  will  draw  all  men 
unto  me"  There  is  here  a  prominence  of  self,  and 
yet  He  was  the  most  unselfish  of  all  beings.  His 
self,  so  beautiful,  so  attractive,  so  refreshing  in  its 
response  to  penitence  and  love,  is  magnetic.  We  feel 
its  solicitations.  It  is  the  persuasiveness  of  the  sun's 
rays  which  lifts  the  limpid  water-drops  from  stagnant 
pool  and  bog.  We  yield  to  His  appeal,  and  behold 
we  are  united  to  God.     "  Bertrand,"  said  Bonaparte* 

*  "Conversations  at  St.  Helena." 


240  THE  GRACIOUS  WORDS. 

to  the  favorite  officer,  who  was  the  companion  of  his 
exile,  "  what  a  proof  of  the  divinity  of  Christ ! 
With  an  empire  so  absolute,  He  has  but  one  single 
end — the  spiritual  amelioration  of  individuals,  the 
purity  of  the  conscience,  the  union  to  that  which  is 
true,  the  holiness  of  the  soul.  Christ  speaks,  and  at 
once  generations  become  His  by  stricter,  closer  ties 
than  those  of  blood — by  the  most  sacred,  the  most 
indissoluble  of  unions.  He  lights  up  the  flames  of 
a  love  which  prevails  over  every  other  love.  The 
founders  of  other  religions  never  conceived  of  this 
mystical  love,  which  is  the  essence  of  Christianity, 
and  is  beautifully  called  charity."  Then,  for  a  mo- 
ment, the  emperor  was  silent.  Soon  he  resumed  the 
conversation  and  said  :  "  Bertrand,  if  you  do  not  per- 
ceive that  Jesus  Christ  is  God,  then  I  did  wrong  in 
making  you  a  general." 

The  wisdom  of  this  method  which  Jesus  Christ 
adopted  has  been  generally  commended.  His  idea — 
union  with  God — was  too  abstract  for  popular  appre- 
ciation. "  Men  need  a  leader,  an  example,  a  person, 
to  whom  they  can  look  as  a  centre  of  attraction." 
He  meets  that  need.  He  secures  a  personal  love. 
Then  He  opens  to  the  experience  of  His  disciple 
the  hidden  depths  of  that  love  which  contain  this 
precious  union  with  God.  It  is  with  His  love  some- 
what as  it  is  with  the  sacred  love  of  marriage,  whose 
significance    can    not    be    known    at    the   bridal,   but 


THE  GRACIOUS  WORDS. 


241 


which  finds  its  interpretation  through  years  of  mu- 
tual helpfulness,  sympathy,  and  service.  So  is  it 
with  the  love  of  Jesus,  of  which  we  hear  so  much. 
Beginning  with  the  simplicity  of  a  child's  faith,  it 
advances  to  the  maturity  of  an  affection  like  that 
which  Paul  commended  when  he  said  that  it  "  passeth 
knowledge."  He  solicits  our  love  in  order  that  He 
may  unite  us  to  God.  He  is  near  and  visible.  We 
can  behold  Him  and  hear  Him  speak.  It  is  not  diffi- 
cult to  accept  His  outstretched  hand.  Then  He 
leads  us  to  a  consciousness  of  God  which  becomes 
the  strength  and  comfort  and  joy  of  our  souls. 

There  will  be  little  or  no  dispute  that  Jesus  Christ 
is  the  greatest  teacher  of  the  world.  He  has  spoken 
the  wisest  and  best  word  on  the  important  questions 
of  life  and  destiny.  Whatever  mysteries  may  con- 
front us — and  I  need  not  to  be  reminded  of  the  mys- 
teries, they  announce  themselves — we  may  feel  sure 
that  the  man  who  conforms  his  faith  and  conduct  to 
the  teaching  of  Jesus  Christ  will  be  prepared  to  meet 
any  event  of  the  future  beyond  the  grave.  If  there 
is  no  future,  as  some  tell  us,  then  he  will  lose  noth- 
ing, for  he  will  never  be  conscious  of  the  disappoint- 
ment to  his  hopes,  and  he  will  have  the  satisfaction 
of  leading  a  sober,  righteous,  and  godly  life  while  he 
is  with  his  fellow-men.  But  if  there  is  a  future,  as 
the  Word  of  God  declares  and  our  own  conscious- 
ness affirms,  then  he  will  gain  everything.     For  the 


1  r 


242  THE  GRACIOUS  WORDS. 

welcome,  the  crown,  and  the  mansion  are  promised 
unto  those  who  have  confessed  Jesus  Christ  in  the 
experiences  of  their  earthly  lives. 

Therefore  there  is  real  joy  in  learning  of  Him — 
joy  in  hearing  Him  say,  "Thy  sins  be  forgiven  thee  ; 
go  in  peace  ";  joy  in  welcoming  the  love  which  He 
offers  so  freely  to  every  trusting  disciple ;  joy  in 
realizing  that  God  is  a  Father  who  pities  them  that 
fear  Him ;  joy  in  knowing  that  sin  is  to  be  outgrown 
and  that  holiness  is  to  be  the  abiding  life ;  joy  in 
listening  to  the  gentle  whispers  of  the  Holy  Spirit ; 
joy  in  experiencing  the  grace  which  brings  chastise- 
ment out  of  trial ;  joy  in  the  hope  that  strife  and 
confusion,  jealousy  and  division  will  not  always  deso- 
late the  earth ;  joy  in  the  fair  prospect  of  a  celestial 
residence,  whose  walls  are  sometimes  visible,  whose 
seraphic  anthems  are  sometimes  heard,  whose  em- 
ployments are  pure  and  sweet  and  blessed,  and  whose 
radiance,  effulgent  day  and  night,  is  the  glory  of  God 
and  of  the  Lamb. 


XIII. 

THE   WORK   OF  JESUS   CHRIST.— WHAT 
DID    HE    DO? 

"  And  the  one  of  them,  whose  name  was  Cleopas, 
answering  said  unto  Him,  Art  Thou  only  a 
stranger  in  Jerusalem,  and  hast  not  known 
the  things  which  are  come  to  pass  there  in 
these  days  f 

"And  He  said  unto  them,  What  things'?  And 
they  said  unto  Him,  Concerning  Jesus  of  Naz- 
areth, which  was  a  prophet  ?nighty  in  deed 
and  word  before  God  and  all  the  people : 

"And  how  the  chief  priests  a7id  our  rulers  deliver- 
ed Him  to  be  condemned  to  death,  and  have  cru- 
cified Him. 

"  But  we  trusted  that  it  had  been  He  which  should 
have  redeemed  Israel ;  and  beside  all  this,  to- 
day is  the  third  day  since  these  things  were 
done. 

"  Yea,  and  certain  women  also  of  our  company 
made  us  astonished,  which  were  early  at  the 
sepulchre  ; 

"  And  when  they  found  not  His  body,  they  came, 
saying,  that  they  had  also  seen  a  vision  of 
angels,  which  said  that  He  was  alive. 

"  And  certain  of  them  which  were  with  us  went 
to  the  sepulchre,  and  found  it  even  so  as  the 
women  had  said ;  but  Him  they  saw  not." — 
Luke  xxiv.  18-24. 

The  work  of  Jesus  Christ  is  very  completely  out- 
lined in  the  reply  of  Cleopas.  For  three  years  that 
work  has  interested  the  people  of  Judea  and  Galilee. 

(243) 


244  THE  W0RK  0F  JESUS  CHRIST. 

It  has  just  culminated  in  the  strange  death  upon  the 
cross,  and  in  the  stranger  rumors  of  the  resurrection. 
Public  sentiment  is  divided.  The  essential  features 
of  the  work  can  not  be  denied,  and  yet  there  are 
many  explanations  of  its  significance  which  are  men- 
tioned with  approval. 

Cleopas  and  his  friend  are  disciples  of  Jesus  Christ. 
They  have  just  left  Jerusalem,  where  they  have  be- 
come familiar  with  the  events  of  the  last  few  days. 
On  the  way  to  Emmaus,  they  naturally  talk  together 
of  all  these  things  which  have  happened.  They  can 
not  understand  them.  With  intense  admiration  and 
devotion  they  have  accepted  Jesus  Christ  as  the 
Redeemer  of  Israel.  His  teaching  has  commended 
itself  to  their  intelligence,  and  His  actions  have 
seemed  to  be  expressive  of  unlimited  power.  Yet 
in  the  crisis  of  His  career,  in  the  hour  when  His  tri- 
umphal entry  into  the  Holy  City  has  been  celebrated, 
He  has  tamely  surrendered  Himself  to  a  band  of  sol- 
diers, and  has  been  crucified.  They  are  perplexed. 
No  one  stands  ready  to  explain  the  apparent  contra- 
diction. For  what  shall  be  said  of  the  Redeemer  of 
Israel,  who,  having  exhibited  resources  adequate  to 
the  deliverances  of  the  Chosen  People  from  the  Ro- 
man yoke,  has  expired  upon  a  cross? 

In  their  distress,  these  friends  meet  a  stranger, 
who  asks  the  reason  of  their  sadness.  The  reply  of 
Cleopas  presents  the  general  estimate  of  the  Master's 


THE  WORK  OF  JESUS  CHRIST.  245 

work  which  obtains  among  His  disciples ;  for  he 
promptly  answers  that  they  are  troubled  concerning 
Jesus  of  Nazareth,  whom  they  have  recognized  as  a 
prophet,  and  as  a  revelation  of  God,  whom  they  have 
followed  to  Golgotha,  and  who  is  said  to  have  arisen 
from  the  grave.  Within  these  four  particulars  the 
entire  work  is  comprehended.  Cleopas  is  intelligent. 
We  shall  not  go  astray  if  we  accept  him  as  our  guide 
and  institute  our  inquiries  in  the  directions  thus  in- 
dicated. 

1st.  Jesus  Christ  discharged  the  duties  of  a  prophet. 
The  great  law-giver,  Moses,  predicted  this  activity 
when  he  said  to  the  Hebrews :  "  The  Lord  thy  God 
will  raise  up  unto  thee  a  prophet  from  the  midst  of 
thee,  of  thy  brethren,  like  unto  me ;  unto  Him  ye 
shall  hearken."  In  his  address  to  the  people  of 
Jerusalem,  who  were  assembled  in  the  porch  that  is 
called  Solomon's,  Peter  insisted  that  this  prediction 
had  met  its  fulfilment  in  the  work  of  Jesus  Christ. 
As  Cleopas  remarked,  He  was  "  a  prophet  mighty  in 
deed  and  word  before  God  and  the  people."  In  His 
work,  the  prophetical  order,  which  had  received  such 
honor  from  the  labors  of  many  illustrious  men, 
reached  its  culmination.  The  long  line  of  prophets, 
extending  from  Moses  to  John  the  Baptist,  found  a 
leader  in  Jesus  Christ.  They  all  anticipated  His 
coming.  Without  His  work  they  could  not  exhibit 
the  wisdom  nor  the  truthfulness  of  their  messages. 


246  JESUS  OF  NAZARETH. 

He  was  essential  to  them,  as  they  were  preparatory 
to  Him.  They  were  the  shadows,  and  He  was  the 
substance  ;  He  was  the  gold,  and  they  were  the  drafts 
upon  the  treasury;  they  were  the  types,  and  He  was 
the  antitype. 

The  duties  of  a  prophet  were  threefold.  He  was 
a  narrator,  as  when  he  made  known,  in  his  own  way, 
facts  that  were  familiar ;  he  was  also  an  expounder, 
as  when  he  interpreted  events ;  he  was,  moreover,  a 
seer,  as  when  he  looked  into  the  future  and  announced 
its  mysteries.  The  pen  of  the  historian  was  in  the 
hand  of  Moses,  for  he  wrote  the  history  of  the  Exo- 
dus, which  occurred  under  his  leadership.  He  fre- 
quently explained  to  the  Hebrews  the  truths  which 
God  revealed,  and  thus  he  was  a  preacher  of  right- 
eousness. Besides,  he  had  visions,  and  was  acquainted 
with  God's  purposes,  so  that  he  was  able  to  make 
predictions.  Thus  he  met  all  the  duties  of  a  prophet. 
In  like  manner  Jesus  Christ  accomplished  His  great 
work.  Very  frequently  He  referred  to  the  history 
of  the  past.  With  simple  narratives  He  interested 
the  common  people  in  the  records  of  the  Old  Testa- 
ment Scriptures,  bearing  thus  His  testimony  to  their 
divine  origin.  For  it  is  generally  agreed  among 
scholars,  that  when  He  made  mention  of  the  Scrip- 
tures, He  held  in  His  hand  the  books  which  we  now 
possess  as  our  Old  Testament.  These  books  were 
reverenced   as   the  Word  of   God.      Their  contents 


THE  WORK  OF  JESUS  CHRIST.  247 

were  carefully  studied.  The  thought  of  Christendom 
gives  to  the  entire  Bible — the  Old  and  the  New  Testa- 
ments— no  more  respect  than  the  Hebrews  gave  to 
the  Old  Testament  alone.  What,  then,  shall  be  said 
of  the  attitude  of  Jesus  Christ  toward  these  venerated 
writings  ?  Did  He  indorse  that  veneration  ?  Did 
He  ever  play  fast  and  loose  with  the  statements  of 
these  ancient  books  ?  Did  He  refuse  to  make  use 
of  the  more  difficult  portions,  such  as  the  story  of 
Jonah,  or  the  incident  of  Lot's  wife?  Did  He  explain 
such  references  and  statements,  which  were  generally 
accepted  as  historical,  by  reducing  them  to  myths, 
legends,  fables,  or  allegories  ?  No  ;  He  was  sincere. 
There  was  no  duplicity  in  His  nature.  He  was  just 
as  honest  in  His  indorsement  of  the  Old  Testament 
as  a  Christian  minister  is  supposed  to  be  in  his  in- 
dorsement of  the  entire  Bible.  When  you  enter  a 
Christian  sanctuary,  and  are  urged  by  a  minister  of 
religion  to  search  the  Scriptures,  and  are  told  that 
these  Scriptures  are  God's  Word,  you  can  hardly  fail 
to  carry  away  the  conviction  that  he  who  has  been 
addressing  you  holds  to  the  general  Christian  belief 
respecting  the  inspiration  or  divine  authority  of 
these  books.  If  he  does  not,  then  you  certainly  must 
expect  that  he  will  say  so ;  and  if  he  does  not,  then 
you  will  naturally  look  to  see  him  withdraw  to  some 
other  fellowship,  where  he  can  speak  his  own  views 
candidly,  and  without  the  restraints  which  honesty 


248  THE  WORK  OF  JESUS  CHRIST. 

imposes.  For  honesty  does  impose  restraints,  which 
make  it  impossible  that  one  should  use  the  advan- 
tages of  the  Christian  sanctuary  to  destroy  the  faith 
of  the  Christian  Church.  When  I  find  that  critics, 
so  free  and  bold  as  Matthew  Arnold  *  always  is, 
agree  with  more  conservative  and  learned  scholars  in 
recognizing  our  Old  Testament  as  the  Hebrew  canon 
of  the  first  century,  I  am  confirmed  in  the  opinion 
that  I  am  reading  now  the  sacred  writings  that  Jesus 
Christ  read ;  and  when  I  observe  his  reverence,  his 
acceptance  of  the  general  opinion  as  to  their  inspira- 
tion, I  am  satisfied,  yes,  and  more  than  satisfied,  to 
study  them  as  the  revelation  of  God. 

The  prophetical  expositions  of  Jesus  Christ  brought 
to  the  surface  the  deep  spiritual  truths  of  the  Old 
Testament.  In  this  part  of  His  work  He  did  not 
announce  new  truths.  It  was  His  aim  to  expound, 
to  enforce,  to  vitalize  the  truths  which  were  concealed 
in  the  mines  of  the  ancient  revelation.  Just  as  the 
miner  digs  into  the  hills  to  bring  out  the  gold  which 
may  pass  current  as  coin  of  the  realm,  so  he  labored 
to  make  effective  the  truths  which  men  had  passed 
by  in  ignorance,  or  perverted  to  the  base  uses  of  their 
traditional  superstitions.  God  taught  the  Hebrews 
by  means  of  object-lessons,  and  yet  the  object-lessons 
covered  the  great   principles  of   redemption,  which 


*  "  God  and  the  Bible." 


THE  WORK  OF  JESUS  CHRIST.  249 

hold  good  for  all  time.  One  may  teach  a  class  of 
children  with  beads  and  pictures  the  very  same  prin- 
ciples that  a  class  of  adults  will  learn  in  formal  state- 
ments. Some  of  the  children  will  grasp  the  princi- 
ples and  will  then  throw  away  the  beads  and  pictures, 
while  there  will  always  be  grown-up  children  who  will 
be  using  beads  and  pictures  without  any  reference  to 
the  principles.  This  was  the  case  with  Rabbinism 
when  Jesus  Christ  appeared.  He  enunciated  the 
principles  of  righteousness,  and  in  so  doing  He  deliv- 
ered the  people  from  the  bondage  of  the  traditional 
object-lessons.  It  is  certainly  strengthening  to  faith 
to  find  that  the  magnificent  tree  of  New  Testament 
instruction,  whose  branches  brush  the  clouds,  while 
they  also  touch  the  earth  within  reach  of  the  weakest 
intelligence,  strikes  its  roots  into  the  soil  of  a  venera- 
ble past ;  that  God,  who  "  at  sundry  times  and  in 
divers  manners  spake  in  time  past  unto  the  fathers 
by  the  prophets,  hath  in  these  last  days  spoken  unto 
us  by  His  Son." 

Then  when  we  consider  Jesus  Christ  as  a  seer,  we 
discover  that  to  His  vision  the  entire  future  was 
open.  He  has  outlined  the  world's  history  to  the 
end  of  time,  and  has  given  suggestions  of  the  life  of 
the  eternal  ages.  No  predictions  can  equal  His. 
Many  generations  of  saints  have  rejoiced  as  they 
have  entered  into  a  realization  of  His  promised  bless- 
edness. Every  word  of  His  that  touches  the  earth 
11* 


250  THE  WORK  OF  JESUS  CHRIST. 

and  the  earthly  life,  has  been  approved  by  a  wise  and 
happy  experience.  So  far  as  mankind  have  journeyed 
here  in  the  flesh,  so  far  His  guide-book  has  met  each 
requirement  of  the  way.  May  we  not  trust  it,  there- 
fore, in  what  it  announces  of  the  progress  within  the 
veil,  in  what  it  says  about  death  and  Heaven,  in  what 
it  assures  us  of  a  welcome  and  an  eternal  home  ? 

Thus  the  work  of  Jesus  Christ  was  that  of  a 
prophet.  "  The  common  people  heard  Him  gladly." 
He  was  greater  than  John  the  Baptist,  who  was 
greater  than  Isaiah,  or  even  Moses.  He  magnified 
this  office,  already  splendidly  exalted.  Truth  flowed 
from  His  lips.  The  past,  the  present,  and  the  future 
were  of  interest  to  Him.  He  spake  as  never  man 
spake.  His  words  of  wisdom  and  of  grace  maintain 
their  freshness  and  efficiency,  and  each  new  genera- 
tion finds  counsel  and  help  in  hearing  Him. 

2d.  Jesus  Christ  commended  Himself  as  a  revela- 
tion of  God.  In  all  ages  men  have  been  eager  to 
know  God.  Sometimes  this  eagerness  has  been  the 
curiosity  of  philosophical  speculation,  and  then  again 
it  has  been  the  endeavor  of  the  convicted  soul.  But 
it  has  always  been  witnessed.  Religion — and  relig- 
ion has  to  do  with  man's  conception  of  God — has  a 
secure  place  in  human  life.  Every  race,  every  nation, 
every  tribe  on  the  globe  has  a  religion.  It  was  Plu- 
tarch* who  said  that  "  If  you  will  take  the  pains  to 


*  "  Morals." 


THE  WORK  OF  JESUS  CHRIST  25 1 

travel  through  the  world,  you  may  find  towns  and 
cities  without  walls,  without  letters,  without  kings, 
without  houses,  without  wealth,  without  money,  with- 
out theatres  and  places  of  exercise  ;  but  there  never 
was  seen,  nor  shall  be  seen  by  men,  any  city  without 
temples  and  gods,  or  without  making  use  of  prayers, 
oaths,  divinations,  and  sacrifices  for  the  obtaining  of 
blessings  and  benefits,  and  the  averting  of  curses  and 
calamities."  "  Canst  thou  by  searching  find  out  God  ?  " 
asks  Zophar,  the  Naamathite,  of  Job,  whose  lament 
is  heard  in  the  cry,  "  Oh,  that  I  knew  where  I  might 
find  Him  !  that  I  might  come  even  to  His  seat  ! " 
As  Paul  passed  through  the  streets  of  classic  Athens, 
he  observed  an  altar  with  this  inscription  :  "  To  the 
unknown  God ";  and  as  we  meet  our  fellow-men  in 
the  familiar  intercourse  of  daily  life,  we  read  in  their 
spiritual  destitution  their  personal  need  of  God.  It 
was  Thomas  Erskine,*  of  Linlathen  —  a  man  who 
breathed  the  purest  spiritual  atmosphere,  and  one 
whose  life  was  in  close  fellowship  with  God — it  was 
Thomas  Erskine  who  met  the  shepherd  on  the  High- 
land hills,  and  asked  gently,  "  Do  you  know  the 
Father?"  and  who  in  after-years  on  those  same  hills 
met  the  same  shepherd  and  heard  from  him  the  greet- 
ing :  "  I  know  the  Father  now."  From  him  we  have 
the  beautiful  answer  to  the  question  :  "  What  is  the 


*  "  History  of  Church  of  Scotland,"  Stanley. 


252  THE  WORK  OF  JESUS  CHRIST. 

effect  of  revelation  to  us  ?  "  "  It  is  the  disclosure  to 
us  of  our  true  relations  to  God  and  to  one  another, 
as  when  an  exile,  after  long  years'  absence,  returns 
home  and  sees  faces  which  he  does  not  recognize. 
Then  one  in  whom  he  can  trust  comes,  and  says, 
1  This  aged  man  is  your  father ;  this  boy  is  your 
brother,  who  has  done  much  for  you  ;  this  child  is 
your  son.'  "  "  Show  us,"  said  Philip,  as  they  sat 
with  Jesus  around  the  table  of  the  Passover,  "  show 
us  the  Father,  and  it  sufficeth  us."  Then  Jesus  said, 
"  Have  I  been  so  long  time  with  you,  and  yet  hast 
thou  not  known  me,  Philip  ?  He  that  hath  seen  me 
hath  seen  the  Father;  and  how  sayest  thou  then 
show  us  the  Father  ?  Believest  thou  not  that  I  am 
in  the  Father,  and  the  Father  in  me  ?  The  words 
that  I  speak  unto  you  I  speak  not  of  myself,  but  the 
Father  that  dwelleth  in  me,  He  doeth  the  works. 
Believe  me  that  I  am  in  the  Father,  and  the  Father 
in  me ;  or  else  believe  me  for  the  very  works' 
sake." 

This  was  His  attitude.  He  claimed  to  be  a  revela- 
tion of  God.  Never  do  we  find  Him  associating  His 
disciples  with  Himself  in  these  more  intimate  rela- 
tions thus  sustained.  He  could  say,  as  no  other  being 
could  :  u  I  and  the  Father  are  one."  He  could  pray 
to  God  as  no  one  else  could,  and  could  refer  to  "  the 
glory  which  I  had  with  Thee  before  the  world  was." 
He  could  speak  as  no  one  else  has  dared  to  speak,  of 


THE  WORK  OF  JESUS  CHRIST.  253 

the  characteristics  of  the  divine  nature,  which  make 
God  approachable  and  bring  Him  very  near  to  man. 

We  can  hardly  fail  to  mention  the  word  which  is 
inevitably  associated  with  the  statement  of  this  sub- 
lime fact.  We  do  not  hesitate  to  announce  our  faith 
in  a  veritable  incarnation,  although  we  shall  refuse  to 
be  driven  to  undertake  an  explanation  of  this  supreme 
mystery.  Jesus  Christ  was  a  revelation  of  God,  be- 
cause as  the  eternal  Word  He  became  flesh  and  dwelt 
among  us.  This  was  His  claim.  "  I  came  forth  from 
the  Father  and  am  come  into  the  world  ;  again  I  leave 
the  world  and  go  to  the  Father."  He  can  not  be 
classified  with  mortals.  He  is  above  us,  far,  far  above 
us.  His  life  is  radiant  with  a  divine  illumination. 
His  presence  is  a  testimony,  which  is  as  convincing  as 
the  greeting  of  the  sun.  He  establishes  His  own 
claims.  His  personal  character  is  the  argument  which 
His  enemies  can  not  meet.  Either  He  was  deceived, 
and  His  exalted  wisdom  and  practical  good  sense  for- 
bid the  supposition:  or  else  He  was  a  deceiver;  and 
this  old  reproach  of  the  Jews  has  long  since  ceased 
to  be  heard  ;  or  else  He  was  sincere  and  intelligent ; 
and  the  verdict  of  criticism  has  written  "  perfect  " 
above  His  name.  If  His  was  the  perfect  character, 
then  we  can  not  keep  back  the  homage  which  belongs 
to  Him  as  a  revelation  of  God. 

At  once  we  are  led  to  a  recognition  of  what  we  are 
accustomed   to    call    "  the  supernatural."     Here  is  a 


254  THE   WORK  OF  JESUS  CHRIST. 

person  who  is  human,  and  yet  more  than  human  :  here 
is  an  interposition  from  the  spiritual  realm  :  here  is  the 
presence  of  God  in  the  life  of  man.  This  should  not 
startle  us.  A  belief  in  God  carries  with  it,  of  neces- 
sity, a  belief  in  such  a  possibility.  Who  will  dare  to 
say  that  God  can  not  become  incarnate  ? 

It  was  to  establish  His  claims  before  the  people  that 
Jesus  Christ  performed  miracles.  He  presented  Him- 
self, and  announced  His  claims,  and  then  did  many 
wonderful  works.  The  miracles,  be  it  remembered, 
are  not  to  be  separated  from  His  life  and  teaching. 
He  was  not  a  miracle-worker,  and  nothing  else  ;  nor 
was  He  pre-eminently  a  miracle-worker.  His  miracles 
were  the  confirmations  of  His  claims.  But  there  are 
many  who  object  that  the  miracles,  as  reported,  are 
the  burdens  of  His  claims.  There  is  a  general  impres- 
sion that  the  Gospel  narratives  are  rather  loaded  than 
sustained  by  these  accounts  of  miracles.  Consequent- 
ly the  endeavor  has  been  put  forth  to  get  rid  of  the 
miracles  entirely  by  reducing  these  plain  accounts  to 
legends  or  myths,  which  had  their  birth  in  the  imagi- 
nations of  credulous  disciples.  As  to  this  we  may  say 
that  considerable  time  is  required  for  the  formation, 
or  development,  of  legends  or  myths.  They  are 
growths  from  the  seeds  of  truth.  Every  legend  or 
myth  covers  some  truth.  Now  we  know  that  the 
Gospel  narratives  were  in  existence  within  a  few  years 
after  the  death  of  Jesus  Christ.     There  was  not  time 


THE  WORK  OF  JESUS  CHRIST.  255 

enough  between  His  death  and  the  appearance  of  the 
Gospels  for  the  formation  of  these  miraculous  stories. 
Then,  too,  the  recital,  as  we  find  it,  is  easy  and 
natural.  The  miracles  are  described  just  as  ordinary 
events  are.  They  have  their  appropriate  places. 
There  is  no  appearance  of  an  endeavor  to  multiply 
them.  They  are  dignified  and  commanding,  never 
foolish  and  puerile.  "  Rabbi,"  said  Nicodemus,  "  we 
know  that  Thou  art  a  teacher  come  from  God  :  for  no 
man  can  do  these  miracles  that  Thou  doest  except 
God  be  with  him."  In  that  sentence  the  place  and 
value  of  miracles  is  very  clearly  stated.  "  A  teacher 
come  from  God  "  presents  himself.  His  character  is 
approved.  His  teaching  is  acceptable.  Now  let  him 
do  some  wonderful  thing,  let  him  still  a  tempest  with 
a  word  of  command,  let  him  rebuke  sickness,  let  him 
restore  the  dead.  Is  it  unreasonable  to  ask  him  to 
do  such  things  ;  is  it  unreasonable  to  expect  him  to 
do  them  ;  is  it  unreasonable  to  believe  that  he  has 
done  them  ?  Most  certainly  it  is,  if  the  whole  case 
is  prejudged  by  definitions  of  what  is  reasonable,  and 
what  is  miraculous.  For  example,  in  a  volume  of 
essays  quite  recently  published,  I  meet  this  statement : 
"  Reason  tells  us  that  a  miracle — understanding  by  a 
miracle  a  breach  of  the  laws  of  nature — is  impossible  ; 
and  that  to  think  it  possible  is  to  dishonor  God  ;  for 
the  laws  of  nature  are  the  laws  of  God,  and  to  say 
that  God  violates  the  laws  of  nature  is  to  say  that  He 


256  THE  WORK  OF  JESUS  CHRIST. 

violates  His  own  nature."  Now  that  is  a  strong 
statement  in  its  conclusion  if  its  premise  is  sound. 
But  if  the  premise  is  unsound  the  conclusion  is 
worthless ;  and  the  premise  is  the  clause  so  artfully 
inserted,  "  understanding  by  a  miracle  a  breach  of  the 
laws  of  nature."  But  that  is  just  what  many  of  us  do  not 
understand.  A  miracle  is  an  unusual  and  extraordinary 
use  of  nature's  laws.  But  until  we  are  perfectly  ac- 
quainted with  those  laws  we  have  no  right  to  say  that 
the  stilling  of  a  tempest  by  the  word  of  such  a  person 
as  Jesus  Christ  is  a  breach  of  the  laws  of  nature.  We 
are  constantly  contending  with  nature's  laws.  Our 
mechanical  devices  are  almost  all  intended  to  defy  or 
subdue  certain  laws  of  nature.  And  shall  we  say 
that  an  intelligence  like  that  of  Jesus  Christ  may  not 
work  with  these  laws  or  even  above  them  to  accom- 
plish desirable  results?  When  we  are  able  to  antag- 
onize force  with  force,  and  to  exert  our  puny  strength 
in  so  many  ways,  shall  we  refuse  to  believe  that  He, 
so  glorious  in  His  personality,  did  not  give  sight  to 
the  blind,  hearing  to  the  deaf,  health  to  the  sick,  and 
life  to  the  dead? 

Accepting  Jesus  Christ  as  a  revelation  of  God,  how 
interesting  His  life-work  appears  !  The  knowledge 
which  we  all  crave  is  presented  to  us.  So  far  as  we  are 
able  to  appreciate  Him  we  may  now  know  God.  He 
is  as  Jesus  was  :  and  Jesus  was  as  He  is.  Purity,  con- 
sideration, benignity,  love,  are  the  divine  character- 


THE  WORK  OF  JESUS  CHRIST.  257 

istics  in  which  we  rejoice.  The  babes  in  the  dear 
Master's  arms  are  lessons  which  have  brought  comfort 
to  many  troubled  hearts,  as  there  has  arisen  anxiety 
concerning  God's  interest  in  children ;  the  pardon 
which  met  the  penitence  of  publican  and  harlot  is 
still  bringing  hope  to  the  wayward  and  dissolute  ;  the 
encouraging  presence  in  the  sick-room  has  brightened 
many  a  weary  hour  of  pain  ;  the  command  which  was 
exhibited  over  death  and  the  grave  is  heard  in  every 
Christian  cemetery,  with  its  announcements  of  life  and 
resurrection.  "Jesus  Christ,  the  same  yesterday  and 
to-day  and  forever."  We  know  now  that  "  like  as  a 
father  pitieth  his  children,  so  the  Lord  pitieth  them 
that  fear  Him."  Our  hearts  are  open,  our  ears  are 
attentive.  God  is,  henceforth,  our  "  exceeding  joy." 
3d.  Jesus  Christ  died  upon  the  cross  as  a  ransom 
for  sin.  "The  Son  of  Man  came  not  to  be  minis- 
tered unto,  but  to  minister,  and  to  give  His  life 
a  ransom  for  many."  That  life  bore  steadily  on  to 
the  cross.  Not  more  surely  do  the  waters  of  Lake 
Erie  press  on  to  the  Falls  of  Niagara  than  did  the 
career  of  Jesus  Christ  advance  to  the  crucifixion.  He 
came  to  suffer,  and  to  die.  The  53d  chapter  of  Isaiah 
was  a  prediction,  which  it  was  necessary  for  Him  to 
fulfil.  He  lived  always  in  the  shadow  of  the  cross. 
His  life  would  have  been  incomplete,  and  His  teach- 
ing would  have  been  valueless,  if  both  had  not  been 
crowned  by  death.    The  tragical  event,  which  Jewish 


258  THE  WORK  OF  JESUS  CHRIST. 

wrath  had  contrived  as  the  extinction  of  His  influence, 
became  its  impulse.  From  that  memorable  hour  on 
Calvary,  when  the  "  It  is  finished  "  of  His  dissolution 
was  heard,  His  name  has  been  sacred,  His  memory- 
has  been  cherished,  His  truth  has  won  respect  and 
confidence,  and  His  love  has  dominated  every  affec- 
tion. Stricken,  pale,  bleeding,  dead,  He  still  pos- 
sesses a  magnetism,  which  draws  to  His  cross  peni- 
tence and  sorrow,  tenderness  and  sympathy,  aspira- 
tion and  hope.  The  crown  of  thorns  is  the  symbol 
of  universal  authority,  and  the  despised  cross  is  the 
recognized  throne  of  the  King  of  Glory.  A  wonder- 
ful work,  consummated  by  a  shameful  death  !  A 
spotless  life,  securing  its  triumph  through  crucifixion  ! 
A  sublime  teaching,  finding  its  interpretation  in 
agony  and  blood  !  Yet  this  we  meet,  as  we  consider 
the  work  of  Jesus  Christ.  He  lived  to  die,  and  in 
dying  made  His  life  illustrious  forever. 

But  why?  And  the  question  presses.  Why  did 
He  die?  His  death  was  not  an  accident;  nor  was 
it  simply  a  martyr's  death.  It  has  a  more  profound 
significance.  It  was  a  ransom — "  to  give  His  life  a 
ransom  for  many."  He  died  to  reconcile  us  to  God. 
He  was  a  sacrifice,  but  a  voluntary  sacrifice.  He 
freely  and  cheerfully  gave  Himself  on  our  behalf. 
The  principle  of  substitution,  so  widely  illustrated  in 
the  universe,  found  its  culmination  in  His  death. 
We  may  not  represent  this  glorious  sacrifice  as  a  vio- 


THE  WORK  OF  JESUS  CHRIST.  259 

lent,  compulsory  wreaking  of  vengeance  upon  an  in- 
nocent person.  For  Jesus  Christ  gave  Himself  to 
the  death  upon  the  cross  in  order  that  He  might  re- 
deem sinners.  His  was  the  heroism  of  the  mother 
who  loves  not  her  life  unto  the  death,  when  she 
bends  over  the  form  of  the  plague-stricken  child ;  or 
the  heroism  of  the  sailor  who  leaps  into  the  sea  to 
rescue  a  drowning  comrade ;  or  the  heroism  of  the 
soldier  who  volunteers  for  duty  in  the  forlorn  hope. 
"  For  the  joy  that  was  set  before  Him,  He  endured 
the  cross,  despising  the  shame."  We  may  not  hope 
to  penetrate  this  mystery  of  mysteries,  so  as  to  un- 
derstand it  perfectly.  We  may  say  many  things 
about  it,  but  we  can  not  say  all.  A  complete  theory 
of  the  atonement  is  as  impossible  as  a  complete 
theory  of  God's  nature  and  attributes.  We  know 
that  the  death  of  Jesus  Christ  looks  in  a  Godward 
direction,  and  meets  the  demands  of  God's  moral 
government.  We  know  also  that  it  looks  in  a  human 
direction,  and  secures  penitence  and  faith  through 
the  activity  of  the  Holy  Spirit.  We  know  still  fur- 
ther that  it  influences  the  angels,  as  it  exhibits  to 
them  the  redemptive  love  of  God.  But  no  man  can 
tell  us  how  all  this  is.  We  can  know  the  facts  ;  it  is 
very  doubtful  if  we  can  know  their  philosophy. 

Yet  what  a  fact  this  is !  Here  is  a  race  which  is 
in  need  of  divine  assistance,  and  here  is  a  Saviour 
who  has  died  in  the  place  of  sinners.     He  shed  His 


26o  THE  WORK  OF  JESUS  CHRIST. 

blood  on  our  behalf.  He  has  endured  the  sufferings 
which  we  deserve.  He  offers  us  pardon  and  ever- 
lasting life  upon  the  one  condition  of  faith.  Only 
believe,  and  all  condemnation  will  be  removed  ;  only 
believe,  and  your  name  will  be  written  in  the  Lamb's 
Book  of  Life;  only  believe,  and  the  Holy  Spirit  will 
renew  and  sanctify  you ;  only  believe,  and  Jesus 
Christ  will  be  your  intercessor;  only  believe,  and 
Heaven's  joys  will  meet  earth's  expectations  at  the 
boundary  line  called  death  !  Precious  faith  !  Glorious 
hope !  A  vista  opens  before  the  pardoned  sinner 
which  brings  to  view  the  triumph  of  the  Saints ! 

4th.  Jesus  Christ  arose  from  the  sepulchre.  Ten- 
derly they  drew  the  nails  from  His  hands  and  feet, 
gently  they  lowered  His  body  from  the  cross,  care- 
fully they  wrapped  His  form  in  the  finest  linen,  and 
then,  with  bowed  heads  and  aching  hearts,  the  dis- 
ciples carried  the  precious  remains  to  the  sepulchre 
of  Joseph  of  Arimathea.  Pilate  had  granted  this 
permission,  after  he  had  learned  from  the  Roman 
centurion  that  life  was  extinct.  No  one  in  Jerusalem 
believed  that  He  was  then  alive,  that  He  had  merely 
swooned.  The  Scribes  and  the  Chief  Priests  went 
home  at  sunset,  with  the  satisfaction  that  they  had 
disposed  of  a  very  troublesome  person,  and  the  dis- 
ciples gathered  in  an  upper  room  to  talk  of  their 
common  disappointment.  A  seal  was  placed  upon 
the  stone  that  secured  the  sepulchre,  and  a  guard  of 


THE  WORK  OF  JESUS  CHRIST.  26 1 

soldiers  was  stationed  to  watch.  Thus  the  hours  of 
the  Sabbath  dragged  themselves  wearily  along,  and 
the  morning  of  the  first  day  of  the  week  appeared. 
Faithful  women  are  at  the  city's  gate  before  the 
rising  of  the  sun,  and  when  the  gate  is  open  they 
hasten  to  the  sepulchre.  There  a  surprise  awaits 
them.  The  sepulchre  is  empty.  An  angelic  voice  is 
heard.  Tidings  of  a  resurrection  are  given.  The 
greeting  of  the  Master  is  soon  received.  They  are 
thrilled  with  joy.  Despair  gives  way  to  astonishment, 
and  astonishment  to  faith,  as  "  He  showed  Himself 
alive  after  His  passion,  by  many  infallible  proofs, 
being  seen  of  them  forty  days,  and  speaking  of  the 
things  pertaining  to  the  Kingdom  of  God."  They 
believed  that  He  had  arisen.  Their  faith  was  com- 
manding. Nothing  could  shake  it.  A  new  impulse 
was  given  to  life  ;  a  new  direction  was  given  to  en- 
deavor. "  Jesus  and  the  resurrection  "  became  the 
theme  of  the  preaching  which  was  presently  heard 
in  the  Temple  of  Jerusalem,  in  the  groves  of  pleas- 
ure-loving Antioch,  on  the  streets  of  brilliant  Corinth, 
in  the  splendid  palaces  of  Rome,  on  the  decks  of 
Mediterranean  corn-ships,  by  the  camp-fires  of  the 
Danube,  on  the  shores  of  distant  Britain.  The  intel- 
lect of  the  ancient  world  was  stimulated  to  its  grand- 
est efforts  by  the  thoughts  which  were  thus  present- 
ed, and  the  heart  of  humanity  felt  the  warmth  of  a 
sweet,  balmy  inspiration,  as  this  divine  presence  was 


262  THE  WORK  OF  JESUS  CHRIST. 

recognized  above  the  grave.  Death  conquered !  The 
grave  despoiled  !  Life  and  immortality  brought  to 
light !  Every  cheering,  every  comforting  announce- 
ment presented !  Every  expectation,  every  hope 
made  real !  Belief  quickened  endeavor.  The  possi- 
bilities of  the  resurrection  became  the  constraint  of 
holiness.  Men  destroyed  their  idols  and  began  to 
worship  in  the  Spirit.  Lust  was  crucified,  in  order 
that  the  new  life  of  purity  might  arise  from  this  death 
to  sin.  Brotherhood  was  cultivated  in  view  of  a 
common  relation  to  God  in  Christ.  Sympathy  was 
pronounced  to  the  sorrowing,  and  the  pencil  of  resig- 
nation covered  the  walls  of  the  catacombs  with  the 
hopeful  confidences  which  made  martyrdom  a  splen- 
did triumph. 

Such — in  our  imperfect  representation — was  the 
work  of  Jesus  Christ.  He  accomplished  His  work, 
"  and  then  a  cloud  received  Him  out  of  their  sight." 
Shall  we,  my  friends,  despise  this  work  ?  God  forbid  ! 
In  so  doing,  we  would  utter  our  own  folly ;  we  would 
discover  our  own  shame ;  we  would  declare  our  own 
condemnation.  Shall  we  then  trifle  with  it?  The 
interest  is  too  serious.  It  concerns  us  vitally.  Shall 
we  neglect  it  ?  One  may  starve  in  a  land  of  plenty, 
and  perish  with  hunger  while  he  has  in  his  hand  an 
invitation  to  a  banquet.  Shall  we  accept  it  ?  Then 
will  there  come  to  us  the  sweet  consciousness  of  its 
excellence,  as  we  find  our  estimate  of  His  work  by 


THE  WORK  OF  JESUS  CHRIST.  263 

using  the  fruits  thereof,  by  enjoying  the  grace 
which  He  presents.  "  Oh,  taste,  and  see  that  the 
Lord  is  good."  Come  in  humility  and  accept  the 
work  of  Jesus  Christ ;  make  Him  your  prophet,  for 
He  can  teach  you ;  make  Him  your  priest,  for  He 
can  atone  and  intercede  for  you  ;  make  Him  your 
king,  for  He  can  rule,  protect,  and  enrich  you.  Thus 
through  His  work,  you  may  leave  the  old  and  wretched 
life  of  sin  and  enter  into  the  life  of  holiness,  which 
has  the  promise  of  endless  years.  For  "  this  is  life 
eternal,  that  they  might  know  Thee,  the  only  true 
God,  and  Jesus  Christ,  whom  Thou  hast  sent." 


XIV. 
THE   PERSON   OF   JESUS   CHRIST. 

"  What  think  ye  of  Christ  f     Whose  Son  is  He?" 
— Matt.  xxii.  42. 

WHO  is  Jesus  Christ  ?  There  can  be  no  doubt  that 
He  once  lived  in  Judea  and  Galilee.  Many  of  His 
discourses  have  been  preserved,  and  the  universal  tes- 
timony of  good  and  wise  men  is,  that  they  contain 
the  truths  which  are  essential  to  the  formation  of 
character.  His  work  has  also  commanded  attention. 
Its  significance  has  been  carefully  examined,  and  its 
influence  has  been  traced  into  a  great  variety  of  indi- 
vidual and  national  experiences.  History  has  as- 
signed Jesus  Christ  the  first  place  among  the  leaders 
of  thought  whose  activity  has  made  them  the  bene- 
factors of  the  race.  His  fame  is  secure.  Time  can 
only  add  to  the  homage  which  He  has  already  re- 
ceived. The  Gospel  faces  the  future  with  the  fresh- 
ness and  promise  of  youth.  When  its  consummation 
has  been  realized  then  will  be  known  the  importance 
of  His  mission,  who  "  brought  life  and  immortality 
to  light." 

But  who  is  He  ?     The  old  question  presents  itself 
(264) 


THE  PERSON  OF  JESUS  CHRIST.  265 

for  an  answer  to  every  inquiring,  anxious  soul.  Con- 
scious of  need,  deeply  conscious  of  sin  and  the  con- 
demnation of  sin,  the  soul  is  directed  to  Jesus  Christ. 
His  presence  is  a  reality.  The  tones  of  His  voice 
reach  the  ear  with  comfort,  and  the  assurances  of 
His  work  arouse  hope.  He  speaks  of  pardon,  and 
He  certainly  lives  and  dies  with  reference  to  sin. 
Yet  all  this  may  be  of  the  past.  Inspired  men  have 
lived,  and  then  have  disappeared  entirely.  Miracles 
have  been  performed,  and  the  miracle-workers  have 
gone  the  way  of  all  the  earth.  Must  He — great  as  a 
prophet,  great  as  a  worker  of  miracles — be  associated 
with  Moses  and  Isaiah,  Elijah  and  Elisha?  If  so, 
He  can  not  be  a  present  Saviour,  "  able  also  to  save 
them  to  the  uttermost  that  come  unto  God  by  Him." 

Many  years  ago  an  honored  teacher*  remarked  in 
my  hearing  that  there  can  be  but  four  answers  to  the 
question,  who  is  Christ?  Either  He  is  only  man, 
or  else  He  is  only  God,  or  He  is  neither,  or  He  is 
both.  Each  of  these  four  answers  has  been  up  for 
consideration,  and  upon  each  one  of  them  the  formal 
judgment  of  Christendom  has  been  pronounced.  Our 
task,  therefore,  will  be  quite  simple,  as  we  pursue 
our  inquiry  along  a  beaten  path. 

1st.  Jesus  Christ  is  man.  His  human  nature  is 
perfect.      Human   nature   in  its   perfection  has    the 


*  Prof.  R.  D.  Hitchcock. 
12 


266  THE  PERSON  OF  JESUS  CHRIST. 

elements  which  are  found  in  the  male  and  the 
female  characters.  These  two  related  and  com- 
plementary characters  form  human  nature.  "  Our 
common  humanity  was  created  male  and  female." 
"  In  the  day  that  God  created  man,  in  the  like- 
ness of  God  made  He  him  ;  male  and  female  cre- 
ated He  them  ;  and  blessed  them,  and  called  their 
name  Adam,  in  the  day  when  they  were  created." 
The  careful  statement  of  the  Book  of  Genesis,  a 
statement  which  has  the  precision  of  scientific  lan- 
guage, should  be  remembered  in  the  consideration  of 
the  manhood  of  Jesus  Christ.  His  manhood  was  a 
complete  humanity.  The  strength  and  vigor  of  the 
male  and  the  gentleness  and  beauty  of  the  female, 
were  illustrated  by  His  life  and  conduct.  He  was 
stern  and  uncompromising  in  the  presence  of  sin,  and 
He  was  tender  and  sympathetic  whenever  He  en- 
countered sorrow  ;  His  terrific  denunciations  of  the 
Pharisees  were  mingled  with  His  lamentations  over 
the  fate  of  Jerusalem  ;  His  heroic  advance  to  the 
agony  of  Golgotha  was  associated  with  His  appeal 
to  the  disciples  to  watch  with  Him  in  Gethsemane. 
Manly  force  and  womanly  compassion  met  in  Him. 
As  His  humanity  was  superior  to  all  racial  distinc- 
tions, so  that  He  is  adapted  to  every  continent  and 
every  age,  it  also  touched  life  at  every  point  of  the 
complete  social  circle.  He  may  not  be  separated 
from  any  experience.     No  child  may  say  that   the 


THE  PERSON  OF  JESUS  CHRIST.  267 

man  of  Nazareth  has  nothing  in  common  with  child- 
hood, because  humanity  embraces  every  interest  of  a 
child,  and  He  was  human.  A  woman  may  not  say 
that  the  Son  of  Man  can  not  present  to  her  an  ideal, 
because  humanity  includes  every  interest  of  a  wom- 
an, and  He  was  human.  Robertson  performed  a 
great  service  when  he  announced  this  Scriptural  truth 
as  the  best  defence  against  the  errors  of  Mariolatry.* 
"  Think  of  Christ  only  as  the  masculine  character 
glorified  by  the  union  of  Godhead  with  it,  and  your 
Christianity  has  in  it  an  awful  gap,  a  void,  a  want, 
the  inevitable  supply  and  relief  to  which  will  be  Mari- 
olatry,  however  secure  you  may  think  yourself,  how- 
ever strong  and  fierce  the  language  you  now  use. 
Men  who  have  used  language  as  strong  and  fierce 
have  become  idolaters  of  Mary.  With  a  half-thought 
of  Christ,  safe  you  are  not.  But  think  of  Him  as  the 
divine-human  being  in  whom  both  sides  of  our  double 
being  are  divine  and  glorified,  and  then  you  have  the 
truth  which  Romanism  has  marred  and  perverted  into 
an  idolatry  pernicious  in  all ;  in  the  less  spiritual  wor- 
shippers, sensualizing  and  debasing." 

That  Jesus  Christ  was  man  was  the  general  opin- 
ion of  His  disciples  and  of  the  early  Church.  The 
disciples  clasped  His  hand,  and  heard  His  voice,  and" 
caught  the  pleasant  greeting  of  His  eye.     With  Him 


*  Sermons,  Vol.  II.,  "  The  Glory  of  the  Divine  Son." 


268  THE  PERSON  OF  JESUS  CHRIST. 

they  shared  their  food.  They  observed  that  He  was 
hungry  and  thirsty  and  weary  and  faint.  From  in- 
fancy He  had  developed  naturally  into  childhood, 
and  from  childhood  into  mature  life.  "  Jesus,"  as 
the  evangelist  has  said,  "  increased  in  wisdom  and 
stature,  and  in  favor  with  God  and  man."  He  was 
tempted.  He  suffered.  He  prayed  for  help  in  times 
of  sore  distress.  He  felt  the  pains  of  crucifixion. 
His  blood  flowed  from  wounded  hands  and  feet  and 
side.  He  met  death,  and  came  under  the  power  of 
death.  The  New  Testament  writers  all  agree  with 
the  Apostle  John,  who  expresses  his  mature  convic- 
tions in  such  forcible  words  as  these :  "  That  which 
was  from  the  beginning,  which  we  have  heard,  which 
we  have  seen  with  our  eyes,  which  we  have  looked 
upon,  and  our  hands  have  handled  of  the  word  of 
life." 

The  importance  of  a  correct  estimate  of  the  hu- 
manity of  Jesus  Christ  can  not  fail  to  impress  the 
mind.  "  Every  spirit  that  confesseth  not  that  Jesus 
Christ  is  come  in  the  flesh  is  not  of  God."  If  His 
humanity  was  only  a  seeming,  a  pretence,  as  certain 
members  of  the  Church  of  the  second  and  third  cen- 
turies declared,  then  He  can  not  be  a  Mediator.  For 
the  Mediator  between  God  and  men  is  the  man  Christ 
Jesus.  He  comes  very  near  to  us,  and  is  thus  ap- 
proachable. He  illustrates  the  glorious  possibilities 
of  our  humanity,  and  is  thus  an  example  to  us  all. 


THE  PERSON  OF  JESUS  CHRIST.  269 

He  magnifies  the  law  by  His  perfect  obedience.  He 
gives  up  His  life  as  a  ransom  in  order  that  we  may 
be  delivered  from  the  bondage  of  sin.  Whatever  else 
He  may  be,  Jesus  Christ  is  man.  Thank  God  !  we 
have  a  glorious  ideal !  There  is  a  Jewish  proverb 
which  says  that  "  the  secret  of  man  is  the  secret  of 
the  Messiah."  "  To  know  ourselves,"  remarks  Prof. 
H.  B.  Smith,*  "  we  must  know  Christ,  and  to  know 
Christ  is  to  know  ourselves.  Just  as  one  born  a 
poet  does  not  know  the  full  stores  of  his  own  imagina- 
tion until  he  has  read  Homer,  Dante,  Milton,  and 
Shakespeare  ;  just  as  the  sculptor  does  not  know  his 
gift  in  art  until  he  has  gazed  entranced  upon  the 
matchless  products  of  Greek  and  Roman  statuary  ; 
just  as  the  young  painter,  when  standing  before  the 
breathing  canvas  that  revealed  to  him  all  the  power 
of  the  pencil,  cried  out  in  wonder,  'J  too  am  a  paint- 
er ':  so  the  human  soul  may  gaze  on  all  other  forms, 
linger  on  all  other  impersonations  of  thought  and  feel- 
ing, and  explore  all  art  and  science,  but,  until  it 
stands  face  to  face  with  the  Lord  of  the  race,  the 
Saviour  of  the  lost,  it  can  not  feel  all  the  height.and 
depth  of  human  woe  and  of  human  love,  all  the  soul's 
boundless  capacities,  its  supreme  destiny."  There- 
fore we  rejoice  in  this  acquaintance  with  the  Son  of 
Man.     His  earthly  life  meets  us  so  cordially  in  our 


System  of  Theology,"  p.  384. 


270  THE  PERSON  OF  JESUS  CHRIST. 

despair.  We  are  encouraged  by  it  to  such  heroic  en- 
deavors. It  answers  so  many  questions.  It  announces 
so  many  prophecies.  "  As  for  me,"  and  the  Psalmist 
was  weary  and  sad,  when  he  took  his  harp  and  raised 
his  plaintive  song,  which  bore  him  on  the  wings  of 
hope,  "  As  for  me,  I  will  behold  Thy  face  in  right- 
eousness ;  I  shall  be  satisfied  when  I  awake  with  Thy 
likeness";  and  John,  with  clearer,  riper  knowledge, 
comforted  himself,  cheered  his  old  age  at  Ephesus, 
and  brightened  the  faith  of  each  new  Christian  gen- 
eration by  recording  his  belief  that  we  are  now  the 
sons  of  God,  and  that  when  Christ  shall  appear  we 
shall  be  like  Him,  for  we  shall  see  Him  as  He  is. 
"  Like  Him  "  in  the  perfection  of  our  humanity,  "  like 
him  "  in  the  radiant  glory  which  humanity  secured 
when  He  triumphed  ! 

2d.  Jesus  Christ  is  God.  Familiarity  with  this 
statement  should  not  be  permitted  to  weaken  its 
force.  It  is  certainly  a  wonderful  statement.  The 
perfect  humanity  of  Jesus  Christ  exalts  Him  far 
above  all  other  human  beings  who  are  affected  by  the 
degrading  influences  of  sin.  But  His  divinity  places 
Him  upon  the  throne  of  God.  Can  we  make  such  a 
statement  ?  Are  we  justified  in  assigning  the  Son  of 
Mary  to  such  a  sublime  position  in  the  universe  ?  May 
we  look  up  to  Him  with  adoring  reverence  and  love, 
even  while  we  sympathize  with  His  sorrows  and  grieve 
over  the  misery  of  His  earthly  life  ? 


THE  PERSON  OF  JESUS  CHRIST.  2?I 

The  verdict  of  Christendom  has  been  in  favor  of  the 
complete  divinity  of  Jesus  Christ.  This  is  an  im- 
portant fact  which  should  have  great  weight  with  the 
present  generation  of  inquirers.  The  probabilities 
are  in  favor  of  a  verdict  which  has  commanded  the 
assent  of  Christendom,  by  entering  into  the  great 
creeds,  by  stimulating  the  successful  missionary  activ- 
ity, by  becoming  the  theme  of  devotional  literature. 
The  creeds  of  Christendom,  Roman,  Greek,  Protest- 
ant, agree  in  their  recognition  of  Jesus  Christ  as  the 
Son  of  God.  The  heroic  missionaries,  like  Paul, 
Columba,  Xavier,  Brainerd,  Livingstone,  Patteson, 
have  carried  this  faith  in  their  hearts,  and  have  felt 
the  warm  impulses  of  its  constraining  love  amid  the 
hardships  and  persecutions  of  their  devoted  service. 
The  devotional  literature  of  the  church,  which  is  the 
life-blood  of  theology,  has  exhibited  this  dependence 
upon  one  who  may  be  regarded  as 

"  The  Lamb  of  Calvary, 
Saviour  divine." 

Christendom  has  been  a  patient  student  of  the  Bible. 
Keen  and  discriminating  intellects  have  searched  the 
Scriptures.  The  antagonisms  of  unbelief  have  assailed 
and  must  destroy  every  weak  and  indefensible  posi- 
tion. The  Council  of  Nicaea  in  the  fourth  century  was 
a  veritable  Waterloo.  When  Athanasius,  the  young 
deacon  of  Alexandria,  held  the  line  of  battle  on  be- 


272  THE  PERSON  OF  JESUS  CHRIST. 

half  of  "  the  faith  once  delivered  to  the  saints,"  the 
forces  of  Arius,  who  denied  the  divinity  of  Jesus 
Christ,  were  repulsed  and  driven  from  the  field.  "  The 
creed  of  Arius  was  torn  up,  and  the  fragments  strewn 
upon  the  floor  of  the  council-chamber ;  and  with  but 
two  dissenting  voices  their  own  creed  was  given  to 
the  world."  This  creed,  with  modifications  in  its 
forms  of  statement,  but  without  any  change  in  its 
essential  truths,  has  since  commanded  a  cordial  as- 
sent. We  respect  it  now.  Our  advance  is  with  the 
column  which  has  enrolled  the  martyrs,  the  confessors, 
the  missionaries,  and  that  multitude  which  no  man  can 
number,  whose  robes  have  been  washed  and  made 
white  in  the  blood  of  the  Lamb. 

Led  thus  into  the  presence  of  the  Apostles  and 
Evangelists,  we  find  that  their  writings  justify  the  in- 
terpretation which  they  have  received.  We  have  their 
writings,  and  are  competent  to  judge  for  ourselves. 
In  these  writings  they  constantly  refer  to  Jesus 
Christ  as  to  one  who  existed  with  the  Father  before 
He  appeared  upon  the  earth.  "God  sent  forth  His 
Son."  "  The  Word  was  with  God,  and  the  Word  was 
God."  "  Being  in  the  form  of  God,  He  thought  it  not 
robbery  to  be  equal  with  God."  "  He  is  before  all 
things,  and  by  Him  all  things  consist."  "All  things 
were  made  by  Him."  Then,  moreover,  to  Him  they 
freely  apply  divine  titles,  as  when  John  says,  "This 
is  the  true  God  and  eternal  life  ";  or  when  Paul  says, 


THE  PERSON  OF  JESUS  CHRIST.  273 

"  Whose  are  the  fathers,  and  of  whom  as  concerning 
the  flesh  Christ  came,  who  is  over  all,  God  blessed 
forever";  or  when  Thomas,  the  doubter,  is  brought 
to  the  confession,  "  My  Lord  and  my  God  ";  or  when 
Peter  says,  "  Sanctify  in  your  hearts  Christ  as  Lord  "; 
or  when  Jude  speaks  of  the  condemnation  which  rests 
upon  certain  who  persist  in  denying  "  our  Lord 
Jesus  Christ."  These  godly  men,  who  are  contend- 
ing so  earnestly  with  superstition  and  idolatry,  do  not 
hesitate  to  present  Jesus  Christ  as  the  object  of  wor- 
ship. Thus  Paul  declares  his  belief  that  "  at  the  name 
of  Jesus  every  knee  should  bow  ....  and  that  every 
tongue  should  confess  that  Jesus  Christ  is  Lord,  to  the 
glory  of  God  the  Father."  Luke  says  that  "  the  dis- 
ciples worshipped  Him."  The  prayer  of  the  dying 
Stephen  is  a  direct  appeal  for  His  assistance :  "  Lord 
Jesus,  receive  my  spirit."  John,  in  the  visions  of  the 
Apocalypse,  sees  something  of  the  worship  of  Heaven, 
and  recognizes  Jesus  Christ  as  the  recipient  of  thanks- 
giving and  praise,  and  glory  and  honor. 

We  are  permitted  to  pass  from  the  presence  of  the 
Apostles  and  Evangelists  into  the  presence  of  our 
Lord  himself.  We  may  question  Him.  His  claims 
may  be  considered.  He  speaks  of  Himself  without 
reserve.  For  example,  when  He  addresses  the  learned 
men  of  the  Jews  He  says :  "  I  and  the  Father  are 
one."  Instantly  a  charge  of  blasphemy  is  heard. 
With  one  consent  the  Jews  condemn  Him,  saying  in 


274  THE  PERSON  OF  JESUS  CHRIST. 

their  accusation  :  "  Thou  being  a  man,  makest  thyself 
God."  Does  He  deny  the  justness  of  their  charge  ? 
Does  He  retract  or  alter  His  statement?  Not  in  the 
least.  On  the  contrary,  He  repeats  it ;  and  with 
such  emphasis  that  He  is  obliged  to  flee  in  order  to 
escape  their  violence.  Then  when  He  is  arrested  and 
brought  as  a  prisoner  before  the  Sanhedrin,  what  is 
His  attitude  ?  Is  He  disconcerted  ?  Does  He  appear 
at  all  like  a  fanatic  or  a  deceiver?  Is  He  hesitant? 
There  is  an  awful  stillness  as  the  High-Priest  arises 
and  calls  upon  Him  to  speak  decisively  and  honestly. 
"  I  adjure  Thee  by  the  living  God  that  Thou  tell  us 
whether  Thou  be  the  Christ,  the  Son  of  God  ?  "  The 
words  are  well  chosen.  They  admit  of  a  positive  de- 
nial, or  as  positive  an  affirmation.  Which  shall  it  be  ? 
Life  is  sweet.  Deception  has  never  marred  the  speech 
of  Jesus.  What  will  He  answer?  Will  He  prove  true 
to  His  record?  In  this  supreme  moment  will  He 
establish  or  destroy  the  beautiful  fabric  which  He  has 
built  to  shelter  the  needy  souls  of  men?  We  may 
trust  Him.  His  courage  does  not  fail.  Calmly  He 
answers  :  "  Thou  hast  said.  Nevertheless  I  say  unto 
you,  hereafter  shall  ye  see  the  Son  of  Man  sitting  on 
the  right  hand  of  power,  and  coming  in  the  clouds  of 
Heaven."  Can  you  ask  for  more  ?  Would  you  have 
Him  state  His  divinity  more  clearly?  Can  you  hope 
to  brush  away  His  claims,  or  to  read  any  other  meaning 
into  His  words?     "The  High-Priest  rent  his  clothes, 


THE  PERSON  OF  JESUS  CHRIST.  27$ 

saying,  He  hath  spoken  blasphemy:  what  further 
need  have  we  of  witnesses  ?  behold  now  ye  have  heard 
His  blasphemy:  what  think  ye?  They  answered, 
and  said,  He  is  guilty  of  death."  Then  as  they  led 
Him  to  Pilate,  the  Roman  governor,  they  had  but  one 
ground  of  complaint  to  urge  against  Him,  saying,  in 
their  wrath :  "  He  ought  to  die,  because  He  made 
Himself  the  Son  of  God."  But  with  Pilate  He  was 
silent.  He  accepted  the  judgment  of  their  complaint. 
The  charge  was  true.  He  could  not  and  He  would 
not  deny  it.  For  this  He  submitted  to  the  scourging, 
to  the  persecution,  to  the  cross,  and  to  the  shame  of 
a  culprit's  death. 

The  value  of  this  testimony,  which  Jesus  Christ 
gave  concerning  Himself,  will  be  greatly  affected  by 
our  estimate  of  His  character  as  man.  If  His 
character  awaits  this  testimony  as  a  princely  life 
awaits  a  coronation,  then  we  must  be  confirmed  in 
the  belief  that  He  is,  indeed,  the  Son  of  God.  And 
such,  my  friends,  is  the  case.  The  testimony  of  Jesus 
Christ  is  sustained  by  His  own  self- consciousness. 
That  self-consciousness  itself  is  an  argument,  positive, 
clear,  and  convincing.  Who  has  ever  searched  the 
hidden  depths  of  the  humam  heart  as  He  has?  Who 
has  ever  urged  repentance  for  the  least  sins  as  He 
has  ?  Who  has  ever  rebuked  hypocrisy  as  He  has  ? 
And  yet,  discover,  if  you  can,  the  first  evidence  in  His 
speech  of  a  consciousness  of  personal  gilt ;   find,  if 


276  THE  PERSON  OF  JESUS  CHRIST. 

you  can,  a  single  instance  which  will  warrant  the 
remark  that  He  felt  the  necessity  of  repentance. 
Then  observe  the  dignified  composure  of  His  hu- 
mility, which  utters  itself  in  the  frequent  "I  say  unto 
you,"  and  which  never  associates  the  disciples  with 
Himself  on  the  plane  of  their  common  relation  to  the 
Father— "My  Father"  often,  "your  Father"  often, 
"our  Father"  never.  For  the  prayer  which  He 
gave  as  the  model  of  all  prayer,  was  for  the  use  of 
the  disciples  and  not  for  His  own  use.  Advance  to  a 
consideration  of  His  announcements  concerning  His 
work  and  invitations,  concerning  His  wisdom  and 
power.  Hear  Him  as  He  pronounces  authoritatively 
the  forgiveness  of  sins ;  contemplate  the  day  of  judg- 
ment, and  remember  that  He  has  said  that  He  is  to 
occupy  the  throne.  Read  the  history  of  Christianity, 
and  find  its  outlines  in  the  predictions  which  fell  from 
His  lips.  This  argument,  elaborated  carefully  in  an 
essay  by  Professor  Van  Oosterzee,  of  Utrecht,*  can 
not  be  answered  in  the  light  of  history.  The  per- 
sonal consciousness  of  Jesus  leads  as  directly  to  His 
divinity  as  the  soft  touch  of  a  gentle  hand,  the 
friendly  ministry  of  compassionate  interest,  the  holy 
solicitude  of  earnest  endeavor  do  to  a  heart  which  is 
sanctified  by  grace.  "That  this  wonderful  image  of 
Christ  depicted  in  the  Gospels  " — I  quote  from  the 


*  Princeton  Review,  July,  1878. 


THE  PERSON  OF  JES US  CHRIS T.  2JJ 

essay  just  mentioned — "  should  have  been  invented 
by  men  so  very  far  inferior  to  the  ideal  they  shaped, 
is  psychologically  absurd  and  altogether  unimagin- 
able. He  who  degrades  the  Lord — for  so  in  fact  we 
ought  to  call  it — who  degrades  Him  into  being  a 
once  crucified  Jew,  living  now  merely  in  the  grateful 
recollection  of  mankind  and  in  probable  immortality, 
like  any  other  deceased  martyr  —  he  debases  not 
merely  Christ's  whole  manifestation,  but  the  whole 
history  of  the  Christian  Church  in  its  birth  and 
growth  to  an  obvious  absurdity.  To  such  an  ab- 
surdity, I,  for  my  part,  prefer  a  mystery,  which  as 
mystery,  even  when  revealed,  can  never  be  fully  ex- 
plained. I  prefer  this  not  only  in  the  name  and  for 
the  sake  of  faith,  but  quite  as  much  in  the  name  and 
for  the  sake  of  sound,  reasonable  common  sense  and 
of  true  and  trustworthy  science." 

These  claims  of  Jesus'"  Christ  were  securely  but- 
tressed, as  we  know,  by  His  miracles,  especially  by 
the  miracle  of  His  resurrection.  He  was  "  declared 
to  be  the  Son  of  God  with  power,  according  to  the 
spirit  of  holiness,  by  the  resurrection  from  the  dead." 
The  miracles  did  not  stand  alone,  nor  did  His  life 
stand  alone.  The  miracles  and  the  life  were  inti- 
mately associated.  The  life  announced  the  miracles, 
and  the  miracles  were  the  natural  expressions  of  the 
life.  When  the  life  is  carefully  studied,  the  miracles 
do  not  seem  strange ;  and  when  the  miracles  are  con- 


278  THE  PERSON  OF  JESUS  CHRIST. 

sidcred,  they  are  seen  to  be  in  harmony  with  the  life. 
Very  early  in  His  public  ministry,  Jesus  gave  the 
promise  of  His  resurrection;  and  from  that  hour, 
until  the  morning  of  the  first  day  of  the  week,  which 
witnessed  His  triumph  over  the  grave,  His  life  was 
as  much  in  preparation  for  that  supreme  event  as  the 
silent  winter-work  of  nature,  in  buried  root,  in  tender 
sapling,  or  in  spreading  oak,  is  in  preparation  for  the 
efflorescence  of  the  spring.  The  life  without  the 
resurrection  would  have  been  incomplete — a  failure, 
indeed.  But  with  that  glorious  fact  to  consummate 
it,  it  appears  in  the  finished  beauty  of  absolute  per- 
fection. 

Thus  His  divinity  is  established  in  Christian 
thought — Jesus  Christ  is  God.  Infinitely  exalted, 
He  receives  the  adoring  worship  of  saints  and  angels. 
All  power  is  given  unto  Him  in  Heaven  and  in  earth. 
He  has  a  right  to  command.  He  is  able  to  promise. 
No  word  of  His  will  ever  fail.  No  trusting  soul, 
looking  to  Him  for  help  and  salvation,  will  find  that 
He  can  not  or  that  He  will  not  grant  the  blessing  of 
eternal  life. 

3d.  Jesus  Christ  is  both  God  and  man.  "  They 
shall  call  His  name  Emmanuel,  which,  being  inter- 
preted, is,  God  with  us."  He  stands  by  Himself. 
There  is  no  other  being  like  Him  in  the  universe. 
We  have  found  that  He  is  man  ;  we  have  found,  also, 
that  He  is  God.     We  must  conclude,  therefore,  that 


THE  PERSON  OF  JESUS  CHRIST.  279 

He  is  the  God-man.  And  this  conclusion  need  not 
startle  us.  It  is  mysterious,  but  only  more  mysteri- 
ous because  less  familiar  than  the  union  of  soul  and 
body,  which  constitutes  a  human  being.  We  know 
that  a  human  being  has  a  physical,  a  fleshly  organiza- 
tion ;  and  we  know,  also,  that  he  has  an  immaterial, 
a  spiritual  organization.  Through  the  union  of  the 
two,  human  life  discovers  its  capabilities.  The  phys- 
ical organization  can  not  think  and  love  and  choose, 
nor  can  the  spiritual  organization  hunger  and  thirst 
and  faint  and  die.  But  when  both  are  united,  the 
human  life,  thus  resulting,  may  suffer  and  enjoy,  may 
work  and  play,  may  serve  God  and  honor  His  holy 
name.  This  distinction  has  always  been  recognized, 
and  the  possibilities  of  this  union  determine  the 
methods  of  education.  Socrates  replied  to  his 
friends,  who  warned  him  of  the  threats  of  his  ene- 
mies :  "  They  may  kill  me,  if  they  can  catch  me." 
He  did  not  mean  that  he  would  seek  safety  in  ordi- 
nary flight,  but  that  he — the  spiritual  organization — 
was  beyond  the  reach  of  his  persecutors.  In  like 
manner,  Jesus  encouraged  His  disciples  by  saying : 
"  Fear  not  them  which  kill  the  body,  but  are  not  able 
to  kill  the  soul." 

"  Why  then  should  it  be  thought  a  thing  incredible 
with  you,"  that  God  should  become  incarnate?  Hu- 
manity needs  an  incarnation.  Our  race  is  crushed 
and  ruined  by  sin.     In  God  alone  is  our  help.     Why 


280  THE  PERSON  OF  JESUS  CHRIST. 

should  He  not  bring  help?  He  made  us  for  Himself, 
and  we  have  rebelled  against  Him.  Is  there  any 
reason  why  He  should  not  endeavor  to  restore  us? 
Does  God  dishonor  Himself  when  He  considers  our 
needs?  Have  the  promptings  of  love  no  response 
in  His  pure  nature  ?  May  we  not  accept  Him,  if  He 
draws  near  to  us  in  the  person  of  Jesus  Christ?  I 
search  in  vain  for  a  reason  why  the  incarnation  may 
not  be  accepted,  if  it  is  adequately  sustained  by  evi- 
dence. I  propose  no  philosophy  of  this  great  mys- 
tery, just  as  I  am  satisfied  to  live  without  a  philosophy 
of  the  union  of  a  true  body  and  a  reasonable  soul  in 
every  human  being.  I  can  trust  and  love  my  friends 
without  being  an  anatomist,  or  a  metaphysician. 
Philosophy  is  not  an  essential  of  faith.  Faith  rests 
upon  evidence ;  and  philosophy  seeks  to  know  the 
causes,  or  reasons,  or  methods  of  things  which  do  ap- 
pear. We  may  believe  on  the  Lord  Jesus  Christ, 
because  He  is  God  and  man,  and  may  find  that  He  is 
a  perfect  Saviour ;  and  yet,  we  may  not  be  able  to 
answer  one  of  a  thousand  questions,  which  may  be 
asked  concerning  Him.  For  as  the  God-man,  Jesus 
Christ,  meets  us  on  the  level  of  common  life,  and 
conducts  us  to  God,  the  Father;  He  speaks  con- 
fidently of  the  divine  purposes,  because  He  came 
forth  from  God,  and  represents  our  interests  at  the 
Court  of  Heaven,  where  He  is  our  Advocate ;  He 
sheds  His  blood  as  the  propitiation  for  the  sins  of  the 


THE  PERSON  OF  JESUS  CHRIST.  28 1 

whole  world,  and  His  sacrifice  is  infinitely  meritorious 
in  view  of  His  divinity ;  He  becomes  the  first-fruits 
of  them  that  sleep  in  death,  the  wave-sheaf  of  an 
abundant  harvest  of  resurrection  triumphs ;  He  is 
the  last  Adam,  the  life-giving  spirit  of  a  redeemed 
race,  which  is  to  bear  the  image  of  the  heavenly ; 
He  is  the  supreme  Judge,  to  whom  every  record  must 
be  submitted,  and  who  is  to  pronounce  the  final  sen- 
tence upon  every  soul ;  He  is  the  king  with  many 
crowns,  whose  praise  shall  never  cease,  whose  au- 
thority will  ultimately  secure  complete  recognition, 
whose  benediction  is  the  joy  of  the  Lord. 

Consequently  there  is  no  invitation  like  that  which 
He  presents  to  the  weary,  sin-laden  soul :  "  Come 
unto  me,  and  I  will  give  you  rest."  For  the  invita- 
tion is  charged  with  divine  energy,  as  well  as  with 
human  sympathy;  and  it  pledges  a  rest,  which  can 
never,  never  disappoint.  In  that  invitation,  God 
speaks.  The  promise  can  be  made  effective.  Oh ! 
how  often  has  it  opened  to  yield  its  treasures  of 
blessedness !  Then  there  is  the  assurance  of  His  con- 
stant presence,  which  the  divinity  makes  real.  "  I 
am  with  you  alway,  even  unto  the  end  of  the  world," 
is  a  pretty  sentiment,  but  nothing  more,  unless  Jesus 
Christ  is  divine.  The  Hebrew  viceroy  of  Egypt- 
gathered  his  kinsmen  about  his  bed,  as  he  was  dying, 
and  said  to  them :  "  I  die,  and  God  will  surely  visit 
you."    He  used  no  such  language  as  the  Saviour  did  ; 


282  THE  PERSON  OF  JESUS  CHRIST. 

and  yet  he  was  a  man  of  pre-eminent  distinction.  Jesus, 
however,  with  few  attendants,  with  no  extended  repu- 
tation, pronounced  in  favor  of  His  own  universal 
presence,  a  presence  which  time  can  not  affect,  and 
distance  can  not  render  impossible ;  a  presence,  which 
lighted  the  apostolic  age  and  which  is  the  cheering 
reality  of  this  modern  age.  "  I  am  with  you  alway." 
A  glad  announcement  to  cheer  the  lonely  Christian 
here,  as  he  maintains  his  hopeless  defence  against  the 
savage  Arabs  of  the  Soudan,  and  a  sweet  welcome  to 
greet  him,  as  his  devoted  spirit  is  set  free  from  the 
body  and  enters  into  the  eternal  home.  "  I  am  with 
you  alway."  A  precious  assurance,  which  becomes 
the  companion  of  stormy  ocean  voyages,  when  the 
sea  is  tempestuous  and  death  rides  upon  the  waves. 
"  I  am  with  you  alway."  A  soft  pillow,  on  which  the 
head  may  rest  and  find  repose,  when  fever  and  pain 
awaken  every  distressing  sensation  of  the  nerves ! 
"  I  am  with  you  alway."  A  constant  reproduction  of 
the  scenes  in  Capernaum,  where  His  teaching  met  so 
cordial  a  reception ;  of  the  scenes  in  Bethany,  where 
His  visits  were  eagerly  anticipated  and  as  eagerly  en- 
joyed ;  of  the  scenes  in  Jerusalem,  where  He  gave  to 
worship  a  definite  and  spiritual  significance ;  of  the 
scenes  in  the  Garden  and  around  the  cross,  where  He 
endured  His  agony  and  surrendered  His  life.  Jesus 
Christ  is  He  who  liveth  and  was  dead,  and  behold 
He  is  alive  for  evermore. 


THE  PERSON  OF  JESUS  CHRIST.  283 

Do  we  need  a  Saviour?  And  why?  Have  we  sins 
to  be  forgiven  ?  Are  we  conscious  of  an  estrangement 
from  God  ?  Do  we  look  for  glory,  honor,  and  im- 
mortality? The  Saviour  is  here.  Jesus  Christ  is  the 
Saviour.  In  every  particular,  He  meets  the  require- 
ments of  salvation.  Shall  we  accept  Him?  If  so, 
we  shall  quickly  know  that  there  is  joy  and  peace  in 
believing. 

Do  we  need  a  friend — a  friend  who  will  never  die, 
a  friend  who  will  never  leave  us,  a  friend  upon  whom 
we  may  rest  our  anxious  hearts  in  every  time  of 
trouble?  Jesus  Christ  is  such  a  friend.  He  meets 
the  children  in  their  infancy ;  and  the  old  men  find 
that  He  is  with  them  even  to  the  end  of  life.  Quick 
to  respond,  generous  in  His  adaptation,  cordial  in 
sympathy,  Jesus  Christ  has  ever  commended  His 
friendship. 

Do  we  need  an  intercessor?  Are  we  sometimes 
conscious  that  death  leads  on  to  judgment  ?  Can  we 
plead  for  ourselves  ?  Have  we  any  merits  which  God 
will  approve?  Jesus  Christ  is  an  intercessor.  Our 
humanity,  glorified,  indeed,  but  still  marked  with  the 
imprints  of  the  crucifixion,  is  an  eloquent  appeal,  and 
His  perfect  divinity,  recognized  by  all  in  Heaven,  is 
an  irresistible  advocacy. 

Am  I  wrong  in  commending  to  you  Jesus  Christ, 
the  Son  of  God,  the  Son  of  man  ?  Will  you  err  if 
you  welcome  Him  and  make  His  salvation  your  con- 


284  THE  PERSON  OF  JESUS  CHRIST. 

fidence  ?  No  !  Customs  change.  States  and  nations 
decline  and  fall.  The  tides  of  life  ebb  and  flow. 
But  the  blessed  sun  which  shone  upon  the  patriarchs 
still  shines  upon  our  paths,  and  the  pale-  moon  brings 
her  welcome  night  by  night.  The  old  is  ever  new. 
Those  things  that  can  not  be  shaken  must  remain. 
Above  the  strife  of  tongues,  above  the  angry  war  of 
words,  above  the  mists  of  speculation,  above  the 
gloomy  fogs  of  infidelity,  Jesus  Christ,  the  Saviour, 
maintains  His  calm  dignity.  He  is  gracious  still. 
With  outstretched  hands,  He  addresses  human  need. 
To  weariness,  to  weakness,  to  anxiety,  to  despair,  He 
says  "  come."  And  behold  in  coming,  one  and  all 
find  peace. 


XV. 
THE   CHRISTIAN   LIFE. 

"  But  these  are  written  that  ye  might  believe  that 
Jesus  is  the  Christ,  the  Son  of  God,  and  that  be- 
lieving ye  might  have  life  through  His  name." 
—John  xx.  31. 

It  was  toward  the  clos^e  of  the  first  century  that 
John,  "the  disciple  whom  Jesus  loved,"  undertook  to 
record  his  impressions  of  the  Master's  life  and  work. 
He  was  then  an  aged  man.  For  many  years  he  had 
been  a  witness  of  the  progress  of  the  Gospel,  as  the 
new  faith  had  marched  out  through  the  gates  of  Jeru- 
salem to  establish  a  residence  in  Ephesus,  Corinth, 
and  Rome.  Evangelists  and  apostles  had  left  to  the 
churches  numerous  writings,  which  presented  interest- 
ing facts  and  explained  important  doctrines.  These 
writings  were  preserved  with  unusual  care.  A  rever- 
ence like  that  which  guarded  the  Hebrew  Scriptures 
was  paid  to  them.  In  the  public  worship  of  each 
Lord's  day  they  were  read  and  expounded  ;  and  in  the 
more  familiar  worship  of  the  Christian  household  their 
contents  were  considered  by  parents  and  children. 
John  had  observed  their  influence.     His  home  was  at 

Ephesus.     "  The  care  of  all  the  churches  "  occupied 

(285) 


286  THE  CHRISTIAN  LIFE. 

his  time.  He  was  the  survivor  of  the  intimate  com- 
panions of  Jesus  Christ.  No  one  else  remained.  His 
memory  was  stored  with  precious  incidents,  which 
should  not  be  allowed  to  pass  away  with  his  departure. 
He  could  speak.  Why  should  he  not  write?  In 
writing,  however,  what  should  he  select  ?  What 
method  or  aim  should  govern  him?  He  looked  out 
upon  the  churches,  and  recognized  the  needs  of  Chris- 
tians. To  what  particular  need  should  he  address 
himself  ?  The  antagonism  of  Judaism  and  of  heathen- 
ism was  intensely  bitter,  rjow  should  he  prepare  the 
best  defence  against  it  ?  There  were  many  desperate 
endeavors  to  undermine  the  faith.  In  what  way  could 
he  hope  to  strengthen  his  brethren  in  the  Lord? 

With  a  wisdom  which  commends  itself  to  every 
age,  John  undertook  to  confirm  faith  rather  than  to 
assail  error.  He  knew  that  the  confirmation  of  faith 
is  the  destruction  of  error,  that  a  pure  and  holy  life  in 
Christ  is  a  refutation  of  the  argument  of  infidelity, 
that  the  brightness  of  noonday  is  the  best  answer  to 
the  gloom  of  midnight.  Consequently  he  chose  a 
practical  method,  and  adopted  a  plan  which  exhibits 
the  influence  of  Jesus  Christ  upon  life.  "  He  selected 
from  the  treasury  of  his  recollections,"  Godet  re- 
marks,* "  a  certain  number  of  traits  which  he  commit- 
ted to  writing,  in  order  that  the  Church,  whilst  sharing 


Commentary  on  Gospel." 


THE  CHRISTIAN  LIFE.  287 

his  faith  in  the  Messianic  and  divine  character  of 
Jesus,  might  partake  of  the  life  which  he  himself  had 
found  through  faith  in  that  name." 

Thus  his  writing  was  governed  by  a  purpose  which 
should  govern  all  religious  writing.  The  Gospel  is 
not  principally  a  system  of  doctrines,  but  a  method  of 
life.  Its  doctrines,  every  one  of  them,  have  relations 
to  life.  They  produce  life  as  their  fruit.  This  was 
the  conviction  of  the  aged  apostle,  whose  experience 
had  covered  so  many  eventful  years  ;  and  with  this 
conviction  to  guide  his  pen,  he  wrote  that  "  ye  might 
believe  that  Jesus  is  the  Christ,  the  Son  of  God,  and 
that  believing  ye  might  have  life  through  His  name." 
That  he  was  wise  in  holding  himself  strictly  to  this 
grand  purpose  will  be  evident  if  it  is  remembered 
that: 

1st.  The  activity  of  Jesus  Christ  finds  its  ultimate 
expression  in  character  and  life.  "  I  am  come,"  He 
said,  "  that  they  might  have  life,  and  that  they  might 
have  it  more  abundantly."  Again  He  said :  "  I  am 
the  living  bread  which  came  down  from  Heaven  :  if 
any  man  eat  of  this  bread  he  shall  live  forever,  and 
the  bread  that  I  will  give  is  my  flesh,  which  I  will  give 
for  the  life  of  the  world."  This  announcement  of  our 
Lord  aroused  the  indignation  of  the  Jews,  who  said 
among  themselves:  "  How  can  this  man  give  us  His 
flesh  to  eat?"  Then  came  the  reply,  so  emphatic 
and  plain  that  its  meaning  should  not  be  questioned  : 


288  THE  CHRISTIAN  LIFE. 

"  Verily,  verily  I  say  unto  you,  except  ye  eat  the  flesh 
of  the  Son  of  Man  and  drink  His  blood,  ye  have  no  life 
in  you.  Whoso  eateth  my  flesh  and  drinketh  my 
blood  hath  eternal  life,  and  I  will  raise  him  up  at  the 
last  day.  For  my  flesh  is  meat  indeed,  and  my  blood 
is  drink  indeed.  He  that  eateth  my  flesh  and  drinketh 
my  blood  dwelleth  in  me  and  I  in  him.  As  the  living 
Father  hath  sent  me  and  I  live  by  the  Father:  so  he 
that  eateth  me,  even  he  shall  live  by  me.  This  is  that 
bread  which  came  down  from  Heaven  :  not  as  your 
fathers  did  eat  manna,  and  are  dead :  he  that  eateth 
of  this  bread  shall  live  forever."  This  reply  instantly 
discovers  the  relation  which  our  blessed  Lord  sustains 
to  life.  He  declares  solemnly  that  He  is  positively 
essential  to  life.  Without  Him  there  can  be  no  life. 
"  Ye  have  no  life  in  you."  Then  He  insists  that  there 
must  be  an  acceptance  of  Him  and  His  work,  which 
resembles  the  eating  and  drinking  of  bread  and  wine. 
"  Except  ye  eat  the  flesh  of  the  Son  of  Man,  and  drink 
His  blood,  ye  have  no  life  in  you."  Besides,  He  some- 
what interprets  His  work  when  He  presents  it  as  food 
and  drink,  inasmuch  as  food  and  drink  must  be  adapted 
to  the  nature  of  him  who  is  to  receive  them.  His 
flesh  is  meat  indeed,  because  His  body  has  been 
broken  for  us  in  the  crucifixion ;  and  His  blood  is 
drink  indeed,  because  that  blood  has  been  shed.  The 
language  is  highly  figurative,  and  yet  the  truth  is  not 
concealed.     Without  difficulty  we  grasp  it.     Its  sig- 


THE  CHRISTIAN  LIFE.  289 

nificance  becomes  evident  as  we  examine  it.  We  shall 
not  be  superstitious,  and  believe  that  we  may  eat  the 
veritable  body  and  drink  the  real  blood  of  Christ :  nor, 
on  the  other  hand,  shall  we  reduce  this  most  important 
announcement  to  an  unmeaning  commonplace.  In 
one  of  his  sermons  Dr.  Arnold  *  remarked  that  "  as  it 
would  be  mere  folly  to  suppose  that  Christ  meant  us 
to  eat  His  flesh  and  blood,  so  it  is  not  doing  full 
justice  to  His  meaning  if  we  lose  sight  of  this  main 
truth  that  He  is  indeed  to  be  the  food  of  our  souls : 
their  daily  and  their  main  support,  without  whose 
nourishment  they  can  not  live  in  health  ";  and  Dean 
Stanley,  in  his  "  Christian  Institutions,"  f  has  said  that 
this  "  is  one  of  those  startling  expressions  used  by 
Christ  to  show  us  that  He  intends  to  drive  us  from 
the  letter  to  the  spirit,  by  which  He  shatters  the  crust 
and  shell  in  order  to  force  us  to  the  kernel."  "  It  is 
as  if  He  said, '  It  is  not  enough  for  you  to  see  the  out- 
ward face  of  the  Son  of  Man,  or  to  hear  His  outward 
words,  or  to  touch  His  outward  vesture.  That  is  not 
Himself.  It  is  not  enough  that  you  walk  by  His 
side,  or  hear  others  talk  of  Him,  or  use  terms  of  affec- 
tion and  endearment  towards  Him.  You  must  go 
deeper  than  this :  you  must  go  to  His  very  inmost 
heart,  to  the  very  core  and  marrow  of  His  being.'  ' 
Hence  the  prompt  recognition  of  the  fact  that  the 


*  Sermons,  Vol.  I.,  Serm.  24.  f  Page  94. 

13 


290 


THE  CHRISTIAN  LIFE. 


kingdom  of  God  is  within  you  is  all-important ;  and 
it  is  quite  as  important  that  there  should  be  a  recog- 
nition of  the  nature  of  that  kingdom  which  is  "right- 
eousness, peace,  and  joy  in  the  Holy  Ghost  ":  and 
still  further  that  "  righteousness,  peace,  and  joy  in  the 
Holy  Ghost "  are  life,  and  life  eternal  should  be  as 
evident  as  are  the  ordinary  conditions  of  physical  well- 
being.  When,  therefore,  Jesus  Christ  appears  to 
establish  the  kingdom  of  God,  when  He  labors  so 
faithfully  to  make  that  kingdom  real,  we  can  not 
escape  the  conviction  that  the  aim  of  His  activity  is 
character  and  life.  He  refused  to  head  a  rebellion 
against  the  authority  of  Rome ;  He  made  no  efforts 
whatever  to  build  up  a  great  establishment  of  social 
order;  He  did  not  even  outline  a  form  of  government 
for  His  Church.  One  thing  was  needful :  character; 
and  its  expression  must  be  renewed  and  sanctified. 
A  new  man  must  appear.  Through  the  energy  of 
character  the  will  of  God  must  gain  supremacy  in  the 
earth.  Everything  is  made  to  bear  upon  this  supreme 
result.  The  tree  is  to  be  known  by  its  fruit.  If  the 
fruit  of  the  Spirit,  "  love,  joy,  peace,  long-suffering, 
gentleness,  goodness,  faith,  meekness,  temperance," 
constantly  appears,  then  His  activity  realizes  its  aim. 
This  was  the  understanding  of  Paul,  whose  splendid 
nature  was  so  grandly  affected  by  Christ,  when  he 
wrote,  as  he  did  to  the  Galatians :  "  I  am  crucified 
with  Christ :  nevertheless  I  live :  yet  not  I,  but  Christ 


THE  CHRISTIAN  LIFE. 


291 


liveth  in  me  :  and  the  life  which  I  now  live  in  the  flesh 
I  live  by  the  faith  of  the  Son  of  God,  who  loved  me 
and  gave  Himself  for  me."  He  knew  nothing  of  doc- 
trines which  were  designed  to  be  used  as  intellectual 
toys ;  he  could  not  find  in  any  portion  of  the  activity 
of  our  Lord  a  single  feature  which  was  not  of  practical 
service  to  him.  His  was  a  Christian  character  from 
its  centre  to  its  circumference ;  and,  as  a  conse- 
quence, his  was  a  Christian  life  from  the  hour  of  its 
new  birth  to  the  hour  of  its  triumph.  Nor  was  he 
mistaken  in  his  use  of  the  Gospel.  Experience  has 
approved  his  estimate.  Character  and  life  still  wait 
upon  man's  acceptance  of  the  activity  of  our  Lord. 
Bring  any  man,  however  degraded,  to  that  accept- 
ance, and  you  will  quickly  observe  the  transformation 
which  grace  effects.  No  power  can  equal  it.  Its  aim 
is  as  direct  as  is  that  of  the  arrow,  when  it  is  shot  by 
a  skilful  archer.  Conscience  is  smitten  by  its  deadly 
shaft.  Alarm  is  felt.  A  cry  is  heard.  An  answer  of 
hope  is  given.  Consecration  is  witnessed.  The  be- 
ginning of  better  things  introduces  the  endless  life  of 
peace  and  holiness. 

Character  and  life,  my  friends,  are  worth  saving. 
Every  interest  of  our  social  order  depends  upon  them. 
If  character  is  corrupt  and  life  is  immoral,  social  order 
will  be  unstable  and  pernicious.  Even  Heaven  would 
find  its  beauty  and  harmony  destroyed  by  the  presence 
of  unholy  character  and  vicious  life.     Christ  came  to 


292  THE  CHRISTIAN  LIFE. 

save  the  lost;  and  His  salvation  contemplates  the 
perfect  character  and  the  spotless  life  which  'carry 
their  own  prophecies  of  perpetual,  undying,  glorious 
development.  And  this  is  what  we  crave.  Death  is 
dreadful.  Yet  the  physical  translation  into  life  and 
immortality,  often  called  death,  is  the  chief  of  bless- 
ings. We  are  unclothed  in  order  that  we  may  be 
clothed  upon ;  we  are  absent  from  the  body  in  order 
that  we  may  be  present  with  the  Lord.  That  trans- 
lation is  not  death.  Death  is  sin,  the  limitation  of 
sin,  the  defilement  of  sin,  the  hopelessness  of  sin. 
"  The  wages  of  sin  is  death :  but  the  gift  of  God  is 
eternal  life,  through  Jesus  Christ  our  Lord."  "This 
is  the  record  that  God  hath  given  to  us  eternal  life, 
and  this  life  is  in  His  Son."  When  the  redeemed  of 
all  the  ages  are  secure  in  Heaven  ;  when  the  last  soul 
has  entered  into  the  complete  enjoyment  of  the  per- 
fect life  that  is  known  there ;  when  every  harp  is  in 
tune,  and  every  voice  melodious,  and  the  song  of 
saints  and  angels  blends  in  harmony,  then  shall  be 
known  the  exceeding  riches  of  God's  grace  in  His 
kindness  toward  us  through  Christ  Jesus. 

2d.  Character  and  life  are  determined  by  a  central 
principle  and  a  law  of  development.  At  the  centre 
of  every  character  there  is  a  definite  principle  ;  and  no 
life  develops  without  reference  to  some  special  law. 
The  principle  is  like  the  point  of  crystallization, 
around  which   nature  forms  her  beautiful  workman- 


THE  CHRISTIAN  LIFE. 


293 


ship  ;  and  the  law  is  like  the  method  of  growth,  which 
appears  in  vegetable  and  animal  structures.  The 
central  principle  will  determine  the  character,  and  the 
law  of  development  will  determine  its  progress.  There 
are  mean,  selfish  characters,  and  their  central  principle 
is  some  contemptible,  petty  motive  ;  and  there  are  un- 
fruitful, useless  lives,  and  their  law  of  development  is 
that  of  the  upas  tree ;  then  there  are  rich,  noble  char- 
acters, and  their  central  principle  is  consecration  to 
some  holy  service  ;  and  there  are  brave,  helpful  lives, 
and  their  law  of  development  is  that  of  the  oak. 
There  are  colorless  characters,  and  positive  characters, 
and  attractive  characters,  and  repulsive  characters,  and 
satanic  characters,  and  godly  characters.  But  in  every 
case  the  character  will  correspond  with  its  central 
principle.  When  that  is  known  the  character  will  be 
known.  Let  any  man  come  forward  and  announce 
his  ruling  purpose,  and  you  will  quickly  form  an  ac- 
quaintance with  the  man.  Some  one  has  said  that 
"character  builds  an  existence  out  of  circumstance. 
Our  strength  is  measured  by  our  plastic  power. 
From  the  same  materials  one  man  builds  palaces, 
another  hovels;  one  warehouses,  another  villas. 
Bricks  and  mortar  are  mortar  and  bricks  until  the 
architect  can  make  them  something  else.  Thus  it 
is  that  in  the  same  family,  in  the  same  circumstances, 
one  man  rears  a  stately  edifice,  while  his  brother, 
vacillating  and  incompetent,  lives  forever  amid  ruins. 


294 


THE  CHRISTIAN  LIFE. 


The  block  of  granite  which  was  an  obstacle  in  the 
pathway  of  the  weak  becomes  a  stepping-stone  in  the 
pathway  of  the  strong." 

One  of  the  most  searching  and  helpful  questions, 
therefore,  is  the  inquiry  as  to  the  central  principle. 
This  is  a  question  which  many  persons  never  raise. 
They  appear  to  be  drifting  on  the  current  of  life 
rather  than  to  be  making  intelligent  and  steady  prog- 
ress in  a  definite  direction.  How  many  of  us,  my 
friends,  could  answer  satisfactorily  if  we  should  be 
asked,  What  are  you  living  for?  We  might  reply 
that  we  are  living  to  have  a  good  time ;  and  we 
should  have  to  blush  in  making  the  reply,  because 
pleasure  can  not  be  regarded  as  a  noble,  supreme 
end  ;  or  we  might  reply,  that  we  are  living  to  succeed 
in  business ;  and  that  reply  would  indicate  a  low  esti- 
mate of  the  value  of  life,  for  business  success  is  a 
means  to  usefulness,  to  enlarged  opportunity,  but  it 
is  not  to  be  sought  for  its  own  sake ;  or  we  might 
reply,  that  we  are  living  to  make  a  great  name,  and 
that  reply  would  outline  our  disregard  of  ease,  of 
comfort,  even  of  friendship,  of  everything  that  stands 
in  the  way  of  ambition ;  or  we  might  reply,  that  we 
are  living  to  serve  God,  to  obey  His  commandments, 
to  make  our  fellow-men  acquainted  with  His  love; 
and  that  reply  would  find  its  confirmation  in  the 
purity,  the  humility,  the  energy  of  a  Christian  life. 
I  do  not  think  that  most  men  would  like  to  face  the 


THE  CHRISTIAN  LIFE.  2g$ 

real  central  principle  of  their  lives.  Self-examination 
is  never  an  agreeable  task.  We  like  to  compliment 
ourselves.  The  superficial  elements  or  features  of 
life  are  those  which  flatter  us.  We  turn  very  will- 
ingly to  receive  the  greeting  of  our  good  deeds,  such 
as  they  are ;  but  we  are  not  so  ready  to  sit  down  to 
a  solitary,  closet  conference  with  ourselves,  and  there 
to  look  fairly  and  honestly  at  ourselves.  Such  times 
admit  of  no  deception.  The  good  deeds  are  apt  then 
to  hang  their  heads  and  to  slink  away  in  shame.  They 
know  that  they  are  not  genuine.  So  many  inferior 
motives  have  entered  into  their  composition,  that 
they  are  not  pure  expressions  of  a  sacred  love. 
"When  I  would  do  good,"  writes  the  apostle,  "evil 
is  present  with  me."  Back  of  the  good  deeds  are  the 
motives,  more  retiring,  and  yet  willing  to  submit  to 
an  examination.  They  are  dismissed  one  by  one  ; 
for,  alas  !  too  many  of  them  are  selfish  or  base.  Then 
come  the  central  principles,  the  supreme  choices, 
which  are  quickly  classified  as  for  and  against  God. 
Some  are  apologetic,  some  are  plausible,  while  one 
alone  insists  upon  the  demand  that  "  thou  shalt  love 
the  Lord  thy  God  with  all  thy  heart  and  with  all  thy 
soul  and  with  all  thy  mind."  This  great  central 
principle  is  uncompromising.  It  must  assert  itself 
supremely.  From  the  decision  of  the  will,  it  expects 
to  rule  the  affections,  the  desires,  and  the  appetites, 
so  that  "  your  whole  spirit  and  soul  and  body  may  be 


296  THE  CHRISTIAN  LIFE. 

preserved  blameless  unto  the  coming  of  our  Lord 
Jesus  Christ."  How  is  it  with  you,  my  friend,  in 
respect  to  the  central  principle  of  character?  You 
are  a  man  of  the  world,  you  answer.  Yes !  but  are 
you  not  a  man  of  God  ?  You  are  a  man  of  business. 
Yes !  but  are  you  not  a  man  of  God  ?  You  are  a  man 
of  the  farm  or  the  workshop.  Yes  !  but  are  you  not 
a  man  of  God  ?  You  are  a  man  of  books.  Yes  !  but 
are  you  not  a  man  of  God?  Each  one  of  us  may 
profitably  institute  a  day  of  judgment  for  himself, 
and  thus  may  anticipate  the  final  decisions  of  that 
great  day  when  ye  shall  "  return  and  discern  between 
the  righteous  and  the  wicked  ;  between  him  that 
serveth  God  and  him  that  serveth  Him  not."  Those 
decisions  will  be  based  upon  character,  and  the  cen- 
tral principles  of  character  will  assuredly  determine 
them.  How  important,  therefore,  that  the  central 
principle  be  the  supreme  choice  of  God !  How  im- 
portant that  this  principle  be  made  effective,  while 
the  character  is  still  unformed !  The  child  should 
be  urged  to  love  God ;  for  very  early  in  life  we  may 
discover  the  beginnings  of  a  consecration  which  will 
eventually  grow  up  into  him  in  all  things,  which  is 
the  head,  even  Christ.  If  we  believe  in  growth — and 
who  does  not  ? — by  all  means  let  us  believe  in  spirit- 
ual growth  ;  and  if  we  believe  in  the  necessity  of  a 
holy  life,  by  all  means  let  us  encourage  every  child 
to  trust  God's  Word  and  to  accept  the  providence 


THE  CHRISTIAN  LIFE. 


297 


and  grace  which  a  kind  Heavenly  Father  offers. 
Child-life — sweet,  fresh,  buoyant — is  a  blessed  reality. 
I  should  be  sorry  for  the  Gospel,  or  for  our  estimate 
of  it,  if  Christian  child  life — bright,  winsome,  happy, 
loving — should  ever  fail  of  a  cordial  recognition. 
When  is  a  child  too  young  to  love  the  Saviour?  I 
do  not  know.  But  I  am  persuaded  that  there  are 
many  men  among  us  here  to-day,  who  would  now  be 
rejoicing  in  a  good  hope  through  grace,  if  the  consid- 
erateness  of  their  lives  years  ago  had  been  a  welcome 
to  the  Saviour.  It  was  not  expected  that  a  child 
should  become  a  Christian.  A  child  was  kept  at  a 
distance.  The  fruit  of  the  tree  of  life  was  too  often 
propped  up  beyond  the  reach  of  the  little  hands.  As 
a  consequence,  many  a  childish  question  was  silenced, 
and  many  a  childish  aspiration  was  checked.  The 
Gospel  was  preached  from  Mount  Sinai  instead  of 
from  the  Mount  of  Beatitudes,  and  the  thunder  and 
lightning  and  fire  and  smoke  terrified  not  a  few- 
youthful  souls,  who  might  have  been  won  by  the 
gentle  voice  of  our  blessed  Lord.  We  need  not  try 
to  improve  upon  His  method.  If  He  said,  "  Suffer 
the  little  children  to  come  unto  me ";  who  are  we 
that  we  dare  to  say  that  no  little  child  can  be  a  true 
disciple?  Well  has  it  been  said  "that  the  same  grace 
of  God  that  can  recover  a  man  from  the  error  of  his 
ways,  if  applied  early  enough  and  with  proper  con- 
stancy, can  keep  the  boy  from  straying  into  ways  of 


13* 


298  THE  CHRISTIAN  LIFE. 

error.  The  boy  that  has  religious  character  enough 
to  admit  of  his  being  ungodly,  has  religious  character 
enough  to  admit  of  God's  grace  keeping  him  godly.  If 
a  child  is  far  enough  along  to  go  astray,  he  is  far  enough 
along  to  have  God's  grace  keep  him  from  going  astray." 
3d.  The  central  principle  and  the  law  of  develop- 
ment which  Jesus  Christ  makes  real,  restore  the  order 
of  nature  as  God's  supremacy  is  recognized  in  the 
beauty  of  holiness.  The  order  of  nature  is  the  per- 
fect type.  Perfection  was  lost  by  the  Fall.  It  ap- 
peared again  in  the  humanity  of  Jesus  Christ  ;  and  is 
to  reappear  in  the  holiness  of  His  disciples.  Then  all 
that  was  lost  will  be  found  again.  The  celestial  city, 
the  abode  of  tried  virtue,  will  more  than  match  the 
excellence  of  Eden,  the  abode  of  innocence  ;  the  per- 
fect man  in  Christ  will  be  superior  to  the  first  man, 
Adam,  who  was  created  in  the  divine  image.  Herein 
is  discovered  the  glorious  triumph  of  redemption. 
Where  sin  abounds  grace  does  much  more  abound. 
The  restoration  which  our  Lord  Jesus  Christ  accom- 
plishes is  life,  and  life  eternal ;  "  according  as  His 
divine  power  hath  given  unto  us  all  things  that  per- 
tain unto  life  and  godliness,  through  the  knowledge 
of  Him  that  hath  called  us  to  glory  and  virtue: 
whereby  are  given  unto  us  exceeding  great  and  prec- 
ious promises  :  that  by  these  ye  might  be  partakers  of 
the  divine  nature,  having  escaped  the  corruption  that 
is  in  the  world  through  lust." 


THE  CHRISTIAN  LIFE.  299 

The  Christian  life  which  Jesus  Christ  aims  to  origi- 
nate and  then  to  develop,  has  its  central  principle 
and  its  law.  The  fruits  of  the  Spirit  are  not  hung 
upon  it,  as  toys  are  hung  upon  a  Christmas-tree. 
They  are  the  natural  products  of  growth.  As  the 
life  grows  these  fruits  appear.  "  I  have  chosen  you 
and  ordained  you,  that  ye  should  go  and  bring  forth 
fruit."  "  Herein  is  my  Father  glorified,  that  ye  bear 
much  fruit :  so  shall  ye  be  my  disciples."  "  As  the 
branch  can  not  bear  fruit  of  itself,  except  it  abide  in 
the  vine :  no  more  can  ye  except  ye  abide  in  me." 
"  He  that  abideth  in  me,  and  I  in  him,  the  same 
bringeth  forth  much  fruit.1'  Union  with  the  Lord  is 
evidently  recognized  here  as  the  central  principle  of 
character  and  life  ;  and  that  union  is  one  of  faith  and 
love.  He  presents  Himself  as  the  object  of  faith.  He 
asks  us  to  accept  Him.  If  we  comply  with  His  re- 
quest He  takes  possession  of  our  souls.  Henceforth 
He  is  to  be  Supreme  Master  and  Lord.  We  are  no 
longer  our  own.  Recognizing  His  authority,  we  re- 
joice that  He  may  express  in  us  His  holy  will.  As  a 
divine  Saviour  He  has  received  our  allegiance.  We 
wish  Him  to  do  for  us,  and  with  us,  as  seems  good  to 
Him.  Our  attitude  is  one  which  we  would  not  sus- 
tain toward  any  other  being.  For  while  we  might 
possibly  confide  in  the  sagacity  of  some  one  else,  we 
could  not  feel  sure  of  His  love  ;  or  while  we  might 
trust  the  love,  we  could  not  rest  satisfied  with  the 


300 


THE  CHRISTIAN  LIFE. 


sagacity.  But  with  Jesus  Christ,  who  has  lived  for  us, 
and  died  for  us,  and  who  is  now  interceding  for  us,  we 
can  have  no  distrust.  He  deserves  our  implicit  con- 
fidence, and  He  is  able  to  reward  it.  Just  as  we  are 
He  welcomes  us ;  and  then  He  aims  to  renew  us 
daily,  to  inspire  a  holy  ambition,  to  rebuke  pride,  to 
refine  us,  to  spiritualize  every  motive,  so  that  He  may 
"  present  us  faultless  before  the  presence  of  His  glory 
with  exceeding  joy."  Here,  then,  at  the  centre  of 
character  is  a  grand  principle,  "  which  is  Christ  in  you, 
the  hope  of  glory."  We  may  refer  to  it  constantly. 
It  admits  of  numerous  applications.  Every  other 
principle  may  be  subordinated  to  it.  As  in  education 
the  man  should  always  be  superior  to  the  specialist,  so 
that  the  manhood  of  the  physician,  the  lawyer,  the 
scientist,  the  minister  is  more  evident  than  any  skill, 
or  learning,  or  eloquence  that  may  be  possessed  by  the 
individual :  in  like  manner,  in  life,  the  Christian  should 
control  the  merchant,  the  farmer,  the  mechanic,  every 
pleasure  and  every  business.  In  the  providence  of 
God  my  work  may  be  here  or  there,  but  by  the  grace 
of  God,  I  am  to  do  it  as  a  Christian.  "  Brethren," 
writes  Paul  to  pleasure-loving  Corinth,  "  let  every 
man  wherein  he  is  called,  therein  abide  with  God." 
We  are  not  so  much  in  need  of  place  or  opportunity 
as  we  are  of  fidelity.  We  need  to  appreciate  the 
divine  estimate  of  fidelity.  Life  is  the  essential  thing, 
— rich,  noble,  holy  life.     The  Christian  is  to  manifest 


THE  CHRISTIAN  LIFE.  301 

such  life  in  every  place  and  under  all  circumstances. 
First  the  Christian,  and  then  the  physician,  the  law- 
yer, the  scientist,  or  the  minister.  Down  through  all 
the  pursuits  of  life,  down  into  every  variety  of  char- 
acter, the  love  of  Christ  is  expected  to  manifest  its 
control ;  so  that  men  in  every  station,  in  every  rank, 
in  every  vocation  will  exhibit  its  power. 

"  And  so  the  Word  had  breath  and  wrought 
With  human  hands  the  creed  of  creeds, 
In  loveliness  of  perfect  deeds, 

More  strong  than  all  poetic  thought : 

"  Which  he  may  read  that  binds  the  sheaf, 
Or  builds  the  house,  or  digs  the  grave, 
And  those  wild  eyes  that  watch  the  wave 
In  roarings  round  the  coral  reef." 

To  assist  in  the  formation  of  character  and  the 
guidance  of  life,  Jesus  Christ  gives  us  a  law  of  de- 
velopment. This  development — Christian  living — is 
to  proceed  from  the  germ  of  consecration.  It  is  by 
the  expanding  of  that  germ  that  we  realize  the  beauty 
of  holiness,  or  life  eternal.  To  inform  us,  and  also 
to  encourage  us,  we  are  given  this  law.  It  consists  of 
three  terms, — an  example,  distinct  rules,  and  an  in- 
spiration ;  and  it  is  administered  through  the  personal 
agency  of  the  Holy  Spirit.  Jesus  Christ  himself  is 
the  example.  The  endeavor  is  to  belike  Him.  This 
endeavor  is  a  rebuke  and  an  encouragement — a  re- 
buke of  pride  and  sensualism,  and  an  encouragement 


3o2  THE  CHRISTIAN  LIFE. 

of  all  that  is  lovely  and  of  good  report.  How  many- 
follies  we  should  escape,  how  many  evils  we  should 
avoid,  how  many  services  we  should  render,  how  many 
virtues  and  graces  we  should  apprehend  if  we  should 
always  look  to  Christ !  How  would  He  do  under 
circumstances  like  these  ?  What  pleasures  would  He 
approve?  In  what  pursuits  would  He  join?  Then 
comes  the  sweet  consciousness  that  we  are  gradually 
resembling  Him,  that  we  are  more  charitable,  that  the 
world  has  less  of  a  hold  upon  us,  that  we  are  caring 
more  for  Heaven.  "Not  as  though  I  had  already 
attained,  either  were  already  perfect,  but  I  follow 
after,  if  that  I  may  apprehend  that  for  which  also  I 
am  apprehended  of  Christ  Jesus."  We  have  seen  this 
resemblance.  Christ-like  men  and  women  are  not  un- 
known. The  model  is  reproduced  in  the  holy  living 
of  Christian  lives. 

I  can  not  enumerate  the  rules  which  have  been 
given.  You  will  find  them  in  the  Bible.  Every 
Christian  needs  the  Bible.  As  he  becomes  familiar 
with  its  sacred  truths  he  finds  that  they  are  all  in- 
structive and  helpful.  A  Christian  without  interest 
in  the  Bible  should  be  as  rare  as  a  navigator  without 
interest  in  the  charts  of  the  ocean,  or  as  an  astronomer 
without  interest  in  the  tables  of  celestial  geography, 
or  as  a  magistrate  without  interest  in  the  statutes  of 
the  commonwealth,  or  as  a  child  without  interest  in 
news  from  home.     The  Bible  rewards  study.     It  may 


THE  CHRISTIAN  LIFE.  303 

seem  to  be  a  book  of  mysteries,  but  the  intelligence 
of  the  Holy  Spirit  will  make  those  mysteries  plain, 
and  will  thus  present  them,  one  by  one,  as  the  truths 
of  life. 

To  stimulate  endeavor,  to  quicken  and  to  energize 
spiritual  life,  we  have  the  inspiration  of  love.  "  The 
love  of  Christ  constraineth  us."  That  love  is  a  prec- 
ious reality.  The  Holy  Spirit  keeps  it  warm  and 
influential.  More  and  more  does  it  discover  its  ex- 
cellence as  experience  ripens.  This  love  knows  no 
disappointments,  but  many  surprises.  For  while  it 
enters  with  forgiveness,  and  announces  pardon  to 
the  penitent  soul,  it  is  constantly  opening  new  pos- 
sibilities and  revealing  new  prospects,  until,  at  last, 
it  stands  beside  the  gate  of  Heaven  and  receives 
the  ransomed  of  the  Lord,  to  the  perfect  joy  of 
life  with  God.  Then  the  soul  is  completely  filled 
with  the  divine  fulness ;  then  the  fellowship,  inter- 
rupted by  sin  and  restored  by  grace,  makes  God  a 
friend  as  well  as  a  Ruler,  a  companion  as  well  as  a 
king.  "  And  they  heard  the  voice  of  the  Lord  God 
walking  in  the  garden  in  the  cool  of  the  day."  Such 
was  the  communion  of  Eden.  "  Therefore  are  they 
before  the  throne  of  God,  and  serve  Him  day  and 
night  in  His  temple  ;  and  He  that  sitteth  on  the 
throne  shall  dwell  among  them."  Such  is  the  com- 
munion of  Heaven.  Life  is  capable  of  a  divine  fellow- 
ship.    Only  through  life  may  we  hope  to  be  prepared 


304  THE  CHRISTIAN  LIFE. 

to  enter  into  the  many  mansions  in  the  Father's  house. 
"  Out  of  self,  into  Christ,  up  to  glory,"  are  the  three 
steps  of  this  divine  progress.  Christian  character, 
Christian  life,  and  Christian  immortality  are  insep- 
arably united. 

It  is  to  confirm  and  to  develop  faith  that  the  Lord's 
Supper  invites  us.  This  Supper,  instituted  by  our 
divine  Lord  and  Saviour,  is  one  of  the  strongest 
evidences  in  support  of  His  life  and  work.  Without 
Him  it  can  not  be  explained.  Into  His  gracious  pres- 
ence it  conducts  us.  We  are  convinced  anew  that 
Jesus  is  the  Christ,  the  Son  of  God.  Then,  according 
to  His  own  promise,  we  find  that  He  communicates 
Himself  to  us,  by  the  Holy  Spirit,  in  the  sacred  bread 
and  wine,  and  that  we  are  fed  and  cheered  as  we  thus 
receive  Him.  Life  discovers  its  richness  and  blessed- 
ness. We  sit  together  in  heavenly  places  in  Christ 
Jesus,  and  enjoy  a  foretaste  of  that  communion  which 
the  saints  around  the  throne  are  realizing  constantly. 
This  is  life,  true  life,  life  worthy  of  endless  duration. 
God  bring  us  all  to  the  experiences  of  this  holy  life,  and 
to  His  name  shall  be  praise  forever ! 


XVI. 

LEAVEN.— THE   INFLUENCE   OF  JESUS 
CHRIST. 

"  Another  parable  spake  He  unto  them :  *  The 
kingdom  of  Heaven  is  like  unto  leaven  which 
a  woman  took  and  hid  in  three  measures  of 
meal,  till  the  whole  was  leavened'  " — Matt. 
xiii.  33. 

THE  familiar  process  of  bread-making  presents  a 
beautiful  illustration  of  the  influence  of  Jesus  Christ. 
His  influence  affects  the  individual  and  social  life  of 
the  world,  as  the  leaven  which  the  housewife  used 
affected  the  measures  of  meal.  She  selected  a  sub- 
stance which  was  distinct  from,  and  yet  adapted  to, 
the  nature  of  the  meal ;  and  the  influence  of  Jesus 
Christ  is  a  blessed  reality  which  is  distinct  from,  and 
yet  adapted  to,  the  nature  of  man.  Man  must  receive 
it  as  a  precious  gift  of  God,  which  he  is  able  to  ap- 
propriate. When  he  does  so  he  may  appreciate  its 
power.  The  leaven  was  placed  in  intimate  contact 
with  the  meal ;  and  this  divine  influence  must  take 
possession  of  the  heart,  in  order  that  it  may  produce 
its  effects  upon  character  and  life.  It  always  works 
from  the  heart  to  the  character  and  thence  to  the  life. 

The  meal  was  moistened  and  heated  before  the  leaven 

(305) 


306  LEA  VEN. 

discovered  its  activity,  just  as  the  heart  must  be  quick- 
ened and  stimulated  by  the  Holy  Spirit,  if  the  in- 
fluence of  Jesus  Christ  is  to  make  itself  felt.  That 
influence  is  often  present  when  no  response  whatever 
is  given  to  its  appeals ;  and  then  again  its  presence  is 
joyfully  recognized  and  its  good  work  begins.  The 
Holy  Spirit  can  prepare  for  its  reception.  But  without 
that  preparation  the  sacred  influence  of  the  Redeemer 
would  be  as  impotent  as  leaven  in  measures  of  dry 
meal.  Silently  the  leaven  permeated  the  measures  of 
meal  in  which  it  had  been  placed,  until  the  whole  was 
leavened  ;  and  the  assurance  is  given  that  the  influence 
of  Jesus  Christ  will  reach  to  every  portion  of  human 
nature,  "spirit  and  soul  and  body,"  and  to  every  in- 
terest of  social  life.  The  triumph  is  to  be  complete. 
Thus  a  very  simple  process  of  the  domestic  economy 
appears  with  instructive  analogies,  which  have  refer- 
ence to  the  progress  of  the  kingdom  of  God. 

But  while  these  analogies  are  so  evident  that  they 
can  hardly  escape  detection,  there  is  one  which  is 
dependent  for  its  announcement  upon  the  labors  of 
the  chemist.  More  than  a  century  ago  the  discovery 
was  made  that  "  leaven  is  a  mass  of  active,  living  cells, 
each  about  the  3000th  of  an  inch  in  diameter,  per- 
forming within  itself  all  the  functions  of  life,  and 
multiplying  by  self-division."  *  "  These  minute  cells," 


*  MacMillan,  "  Two  Worlds  are  Ours,"  p.  158. 


LEA  VEN.  307 

chemistry  tells  us,  "  which  constitute  living  matter  in 
almost  its  simplest  condition,  grow  and  propagate 
with  inconceivable  rapidity ;  a  single  cubic  inch  of 
leaven,  during  the  heat  of  fermentation,  containing 
upwards  of  eleven  hundred  and  fifty-two  millions  of 
them."  With  this  understanding,  the  thought  of  the 
parable  instantly  gains  in  energy  and  beauty.  All 
that  has  been  said  of  its  analogies  remains  true,  and 
now  it  is  possible  to  add  this  pervasive,  life-imparting, 
life-distributing  conception  of  the  divine  influence. 
That  influence  is  to  diffuse  itself  by  becoming  at  each 
new  point  of  contact  a  centre  of  life.  What  then  is 
the  influence?  How  are  we  to  explain  it?  Is  there 
a  science  of  the  Gospel,  which  enables  us  to  trace  the 
influence  of  Jesus  Christ  as  it  makes  itself  felt  in  every 
least  particular  of  life  ?  Our  definition  of  this  in- 
fluence may  properly  be  given  in  the  language  of 
God's  Word.     Therefore,  we  may  say  that : 

1st.  The  influence  of  Jesus  Christ  is  "the  grace  of 
God  that  bringeth  salvation."  "  By  the  grace  of  God 
I  am  what  I  am,"  writes  Paul,  "  and  His  grace  which 
was  bestowed  upon  me  was  not  in  vain  ;  but  I  labored 
more  abundantly  than  they  all ;  yet  not  I,  but  the 
grace  of  God  which  was  with  me."  In  this  clear  ex- 
pression of  his  dependence  upon  divine  grace,  the 
apostle  indicates  the  source  of  all  spiritual  life.  He 
is  aware  that  he  is  entirely  destitute  of  spiritual  life 
until  he  receives  the  grace  of  God.     Spiritual  life  can 


3o8  LEA  VEN. 

not  be  aroused  by  any  process  of  spontaneous  gener- 
ation. It  must  be  imparted  as  the  grace  of  God  is 
bestowed.  The  alkaline  plains  of  the  American  desert 
do  not  burst  out  into  fertility  unless  the  water  of 
irrigation  reaches  them.  Water  is  the  essential  con- 
dition of  fertility.  From  the  snow-capped  mountains 
whence  the  streams  are  called  by  the  warmth  of  the  sun, 
the  water  is  conducted  by  the  inventive  skill  of  man 
into  the  heart  of  the  desert.  There  it  makes  its  pres- 
ence known  in  the  verdure  of  the  meadows,  in  the  fra- 
grance of  the  gardens.  The  grace  of  God  is  the  water 
of  life,  whose  contact  with  human  nature  means  the 
renovation  of  every  thought,  of  every  affection.  The 
penitent  thief,  to  whom  the  grace  of  God  came  with 
hope  in  a  dying  hour  on  the  cross,  discovered  instantly 
the  faith  which  was  thus  aroused.  That  faith  was  the 
beginning  of  a  holy  walk  and  conversation.  Without 
it  there  could  have  been  no  readiness  whatever  to  ac- 
company our  Lord  as  He  entered  Paradise ;  while 
with  it  there  was  a  preparation  for  the  enjoyment  of 
the  life  around  the  throne.  "  Grow  in  grace,"  is  a 
command  which  recognizes  the  necessity  of  possessing 
grace.  Unless,  therefore,  we  receive  the  grace  of  God 
we  surely  can  not  hope  to  develop  that  grace.  Culture 
is  not  a  substitute  for  grace,  nor  is  morality.  Grace 
is  distinct.  It  must  be  distinguished  from  all  human 
excellence.  A  gracious  experience  and  a  gracious  life 
have  their  origin  in  the  sincere  acceptance  of  grace. 


LEA  VEN.  309 

Consequently  the  judgment  of  the  world  is  not  God's 
judgment.  He  demands  grace.  He  looks  for  grace. 
The  world  applauds  strength  and  beauty  and  pomp. 
It  has  little  consideration  for  grace.  Looking  on  the 
outward  appearance,  the  world  estimates  character  by 
conduct.  Looking  on  the  heart  God  considers  the 
real  issues  of  life.  A  man  of  wealth  once  invited  a 
friend  to  go  with  him  to  the  roof  of  his  house  that  he 
might  see  his  possessions.  Waving  his  hand  toward 
the  west,  he  said :  "  All  that  is  my  estate."  Then 
pointing  in  another  direction,  he  added :  "  That 
splendid  farm  is  mine."  Again  directing  attention 
to  a  large  house,  he  continued :  "  And  that  too  is 
mine."  Quietly  his  visitor  heard  him,  and  then  point- 
ing to  a  little  village  among  the  trees,  remarked  :  "  In 
that  village  there  is  a  woman  who  can  say  more  than 
all  this."  "  Indeed,"  was  the  instant  response,  "what 
can  she  say  ?  "  "  Why,  sir,  she  can  say  '  Christ  is 
mine.' "  Thus  it  comes  to  pass  that  the  poor  of  this 
world  are  often  rich  in  faith,  and  heirs  of  the  kingdom 
which  God  hath  promised  to  them  that  love  Him. 
Grace  exhibits  a  few  of  its  advantages  and  blessings 
in  this  life;  but  in  the  life  which  is  to  come  it  yields 
the  treasures  of  immortality  in  Heaven. 

For  Paul  associates  the  everlasting  life  of  the  saints 
with  the  triumph  of  grace  when  he  writes  to  the 
Ephesians :  "  God  who  is  rich  in  mercy,  for  His  great 
love  wherewith  He  loved  us,  even  when  we  were  dead 


3io  LEAVEN. 

in  sins,  hath  quickened  us  together  with  Christ ;  by 
grace  ye  are  saved  ;  and  hath  raised  us  up  together, 
and  made  us  sit  together  in  heavenly  places  in  Christ 
Jesus,  that  in  the  ages  to  come  He  might  show  the 
exceeding  riches  of  His  grace  in  His  kindness  toward 
us  through  Christ  Jesus."  Those  endless  ages  of  the 
eternal  day  will  witness  no  dependence  upon  human 
merit,  will  hear  no  boasts  of  man's  good  deeds. 
There  will  be  a  sincere  consciousness  that  the  grace 
of  -God  has  begun  and  is  continuing  the  good  work 
which  makes  possible  a  sinner's  residence  in  Heaven. 
Grace  is  the  influence  of  Jesus  Christ,  as  it  is  applied 
to  the  heart  by  the  Holy  Spirit.  This  influence  may 
be  traced  to  the  love  of  God.  "  God  so  loved  the 
world  that  He  gave  His  only  begotten  Son."  Grace 
is  God's  love.  But  the  love  of  God  is  not  always 
grace.  There  is  a  love  which  shines  in  every  ray  of 
sunlight,  which  sparkles  in  every  dew-drop,  which 
smiles  in  every  flower,  which  speaks  in  every  song  of 
bird,  which  is  written  upon  the  rocks,  which  sustains 
the  ordinary  life  of  man.  This  love  is  divine  good- 
ness, or  benevolence,  rather  than  the  grace  of  God. 
Grace  is  redemptive  love,  love  which  is  tinged  with 
the  blood  of  a  priceless  sacrifice,  love  which  reaches 
us  by  way  of  the  manger  and  the  cross,  love  which 
exhibits  God's  regard  for  justice  in  the  atonement  of  a 
voluntary  substitute,  love  which  provides  for  the  com- 
plete justification  of  a  penitent  sinner,  love  which  is 


LEA  VEN. 


311 


the  unmerited  favor  of  God  who  wishes  to  save,  love 
which  is  pressed  upon  our  acceptance  by  the  Holy 
Spirit.  The  love  of  God  which  has  ever  been  His 
purpose  to  redeem  is  grace ;  the  love  of  God  which 
was  expressed  by  our  dear  Lord  when  He  lived  and 
suffered  and  died,  is  grace;  the  love  of  God  which  is 
now  making  real  and  effective  the  work  of  Jesus 
Christ,  is  grace.  Grace  is  a  comprehensive  term.  It 
is  love,  and  yet  it  is  more  than  love,  or  rather  it  is 
love  divinely  conditioned  by  sacrifice.  Reaching  our 
hearts  and  gaining  possession  of  them,  it  makes  the 
influence  of  Jesus  Christ  an  absolute  control.  "We 
love  Him  because  He  first  loved  us."  His  perfect 
life  secures  our  admiration ;  His  teaching  commends 
itself;  His  work  becomes  our  only  confidence;  His 
Spirit  is  a  sweet  and  blessed  inspiration.  "  We  count 
all  things  but  loss  for  the  excellency  of  the  knowledge 
of  Christ  Jesus  our  Lord."  Self-denial  becomes  the 
law,  whose  obedience  is  spiritual  happiness.  We  wish 
in  all  things  to  submit  entirely  to  the  will  of  God. 
That  will  is  infinite  wisdom  and  infinite  love.  We 
rest  in  it,  and  by  and  by  we  rejoice  in  it.  Faber  has 
not  gone  beyond  the  truth  of  Christian  experience  in 
his  song: 

"  I  worship  thee,  sweet  will  of  God  ! 
And  all  thy  ways  adore, 
And  every  day  I  live  I  seem 
To  love  thee  more  and  more. 


312  LEAVEN. 

Thou  wert  the  end,  the  blessed  rule 

Of  our  Saviour's  toils  and  tears ; 
Thou  wert  the  passion  of  His  heart 

Those  three  and  thirty  years. 
And  He  hath  breathed  into  my  soul 

A  special  love  of  thee, 
A  love  to  lose  my  will  in  His, 

And  by  that  loss  be  free." 

Can  you  not  appreciate  the  splendid  possibilities 
which  wait  upon  our  acceptance  of  such  a  divine  in- 
fluence? This  is  a  life-imparting  power.  Christ's 
presence  is  a  real  presence.  He  lives  in  the  hearts  of 
His  disciples,  and  there  He  makes  His  presence 
known.  Is  anything  too  hard  for  Him?  Can  He 
make  His  way  against  every  obstacle?  Most  as- 
suredly !  There  lives  not  the  man  whose  nature  He 
can  not  subdue;  and  there  is  no  institution  which  He 
is  unable  to  transform  by  grace.  Only  give  Him  the 
opportunity ;  only  welcome  His  influence  ;  only  make 
His  authority  supreme,  then  await  the  results  with 
patient  faith,  with  holy  expectation.  For  the  spring- 
time of  life  will  surely  come,  and  after  that  the  sum- 
mer ;  and  the  golden  age  of  social  order  will  find  its 
solidity  and  permanence  in  the  love  of  man,  which  is 
a  response  to  the  grace  of  God. 

2d.  "  The  grace  of  God  that  bringeth  salvation  " 
enters  into  the  soul  of  man  to  produce  in  his  life  the 
Christian  graces.  The  grace  of  God  is  not  the  Chris- 
tian graces,  although  it  may  be  said  to  be  the  material 


LEAVEN.  313 

out  of  which  those  graces  are  formed.  Between" the 
grace  of  God  and  the  Christian  graces  there  is  always 
a  human  life.  This  human  life  receives  the  grace, 
appropriates  it,  and  then  expresses  it  in  the  graces. 
A  luscious  peach,  so  fresh  and  juicy,  may  be  said  to 
be  composed  of  the  acids  and  alkalies  of  the  earth, 
the  oxygen  and  nitrogen  of  the  atmosphere,  and  the 
oxygen  and  hydrogen  of  water.  Yet  who  does  not 
know  that  the  peach-tree  is  essential  to  the  produc- 
tion of  a  peach  ?  These  inorganic  substances,  many 
of  them  invisible,  are  received  by  the  tree  through 
roots  and  leaves,  and  are  then  assimilated.  Pres- 
ently the  peach  appears.  Without  these  substances 
there  would  be  no  peach,  and  without  the  peach-tree 
there  would  be  no  peach.  In  like  manner  grace  is 
dependent  upon  human  life  for  the  production  of  the 
graces.  No  one  can  see  the  grace  of  God  until  it 
appears  as  the  graces.  Then  it  is  evident.  For,  as 
our  Saviour  said,  "  By  their  fruits  ye  shall  know 
them."  "  Men  do  not  gather  grapes  of  thorns  nor 
figs  of  thistles."  A  most  instructive  experience  con- 
firms the  testimony  of  God's  Word,  which  assures  us 
that  the  Christian  graces  are  evidences  of  His  grace. 
Grace  in  the  heart  will  produce  the  graces  in  the  life. 
These  graces,  if  we  may  accept  the  enumeration  of 
the  Apostle  Peter,  are  the  essential  elements  of  the 
best  life.  Indeed,  without  them  no  life  can  be  even 
respectable.  The  general  agreement  of  public  senti- 
14 


3 14  LEAVEN. 

ment  demands  the  presence  of  these  elements  to  some 
degree  at  least.  For  what  is  life  if  it  has  no  recogni- 
tion of  that  counsel  which  urges  that  you  should 
"  add  to  your  faith  virtue  ;  and  to  virtue  knowledge  ; 
and  to  knowledge  temperance ;  and  to  temperance 
patience  ;  and  to  patience  godliness  ;  and  to  godli- 
ness brotherly  kindness  ;  and  to  brotherly  kindness 
charity  "  ?  The  ethical  philosopher  meets  the  Chris- 
tian teacher  on  the  common  ground  of  the  necessity 
of  these  requirements,  although  he  often  fails  to  ap- 
preciate the  method  of  grace  which  can  make  these 
requirements  real.  His  method  is  apt  to  be  one  of  self- 
restraint,  or  of  self-discipline.  He  does  not  employ  a 
divine  influence  which  brings  a  holy,  life-imparting 
energy  into  contact  with  evil,  and  which  originates 
and  develops  holiness  to  take  the  place  of  sin.  The 
remark  is  often  made  that  the  reformation  of  a  drunk- 
ard can  never  be  accomplished  without  the  grace  of 
God.  Drunkenness  produces  such  debasing  effects 
upon  the  whole  nature.  Its  tendencies  are  so  brutal- 
izing. By  it  conscience  is  seared.  Sensibility  of  every 
sort  is  destroyed.  The  outlook  appears  to  be  hope- 
less. Yet,  as  one  who  has  experienced  the  drunk- 
ard's misery,  has  remarked,  "  Many  who  know  that 
they  have  lost  the  control  of  themselves  by  too 
frequent  indulgence,  are  anxious  to  conquer  the 
habits  they  have  contracted,  have  made  resolutions  to 
amend  their  ways,  have  been  successful  in  battling  the 


LEAVEN.  315 

evil  in  their  own  strength  for  a  while,  but  have  finally 
yielded  again  to  temptation,  and  at  each  attempt 
losing  more  of  their  self-respect,  they  have  advanced 
further  on  the  road  to  self-indulgence,  and  sunk 
deeper  into  the  mire.  And  yet,  they  exclaim  to 
themselves,  '  What  would  I  not  give  could  I  relinquish 
this  terrible  habit  of  intemperance  forever  ? '  "  There 
is  no  power  of  self-restraint.  The  will  has  become 
enfeebled.  To  cease  from  all  intemperance  and  to 
stop  there  is  to  exorcise  the  demons  and  to  leave  the 
nature  of  the  man  empty.  That  will  not  do.  Human 
nature  can  not  exist  as  a  vacuum.  Its  cravings  must 
be  met  and  satisfied.  The  grace  of  our  Lord  Jesus 
Christ  is  competent  to  supply  the  need.  His  presence 
is  not  only  a  sentinel  to  announce  the  approach  of  a 
sinful  and  dangerous  appeal,  but  also  a  cheering  and 
companionable  friend  to  enlist  the  sympathies  and  to 
sustain  the  affections  and  to  strengthen  the  will. 
Soldiers  always  behave  well  in  camps  and  on  battle- 
fields if  they  know  that  a  beloved  officer  is  observant. 
This  is  an  accepted  principle.  The  grace  of  God  em- 
ploys it.  "  Christ  in  you  the  hope  of  glory,"  is  the 
best  temperance  pledge.  Let  the  reclaimed  drunkard 
realize  his  dependence  upon  Christ.  Let  him  appre- 
ciate his  own  weakness.  Let  him  pray  constantly  for 
strength.  Let  him  welcome  the  beneficent,  cheering 
witness  of  the  Spirit  with  his  spirit  that  he  is  a  child 
of  God. 


3i6  LEAVEN. 

But  we  are  instructed  to  address  every  other  vice 
with  this  same  method.  It  is  successful  with  one,  and 
it  has  been  successful  with  all.  Drunkenness  yields 
to  it,  and  so  does  violence,  and  so  does  pride,  and  so 
does  selfishness.  It  is  destructive  only  that  it  may 
be  constructive.  It  kills  only  to  bring  to  life  again. 
There  is  no  one  of  us  who  has  an  evil  habit  which 
is  beyond  the  recognition  of  the  influence  of  Jesus 
Christ.  That  influence  considers  the  foibles  as  well 
as  the  faults  of  character,  and  aims  to  secure  the  pas- 
sive graces  as  well  as  those  that  are  active.  Its  ideal 
is  the  perfect  man,  "  the  measure  of  the  stature  of  the 
fulness  of  Christ ";  and  it  works  toward  that  ideal  as 
patiently  as  nature  works  toward  the  attainment  of 
typical  beauty.  I  need  not  tell  you,  for  you  are  as 
wise  in  this  as  I  can  be,  that  if  you  sincerely  accept 
the  grace  of  God,  if  you  freely  surrender  to  its  author- 
ity, you  will  begin  a  progress  which,  like  the  path  of 
the  just,  will  shine  brighter  and  brighter  away  on  to 
the  perfect  day.  Before  you  is  "the  prize  of  the 
high  calling  of  God  in  Christ  Jesus."  You  will  carry 
with  you,  this  sacred  influence,  the  pledge  of  your 
ultimate  sanctification.  You  will  find  support  in 
every  hour  of  weakness,  comfort  in  every  hour  of  sor- 
row, joy  in  every  hour  of  calm  experience,  and  hope 
in  the  supreme  hour  when  death  is  announced.  If  I 
could  believe  that  ye  all  among  whom  I  have  gone 
preaching  the  kingdom  of  God,  have  received  the  in- 


LEAVEN.  317 

fluence  of  Jesus  Christ,  the  grace  of  God  ;  if  I  could 
feel  confident  that  ye  would  never  frustrate  that 
grace  ;  if  I  could  hope  that  ye,  my  friends,  would  per- 
mit it  to  manifest  its  strength  and  beauty  in  your 
hearts  and  lives,  I  would  require  no  prophetic  fore- 
sight, no  vision  of  inspired  seer  to  disclose  the  years 
opening  before  you  and  leading  to  the  city  of  God. 
Your  conflicts  and  your  victories  would  be  evident, 
your  afflictions  and  your  consolations  would  appear, 
your  prosperity  and  your  refinement  would  manifest 
themselves.  Those  years  would  be  crowded  with 
patient,  self-denying  services.  They  would  exhibit 
your  considerateness,  your  enlarging  intellectual  and 
moral  capacity,  your  holy  aspiration,  your  delight  in 
God,  your  preparation  for  His  presence,  your  de- 
parture to  be  with  Christ,  which  is  far  better.  I  fear 
not  the  future,  if  it  is  a  future  filled  with  Christ.  I 
am  ready  to  trust  any  life  to  the  years  that  lie  before 
us,  if  the  life  is  hid  with  Christ  in  God. 

3d.  The  Christian  graces,  in  their  present  manifes- 
tations of  strength  and  beauty,  encourage  the  en- 
deavors which  aim  to  secure  the  Redeemer's  triumph. 
We  must  make  the  confession,  for  truth  demands  it, 
that  we  have  never  given  the  grace  of  God  a  fair  op- 
portunity, either  in  our  own  lives  or  in  the  social  life 
of  the  world.  We  seem  to  be  afraid  to  trust  God's 
grace.  Numberless  appliances  have  been  invented, 
by  well-meaning  persons,  to  help  the  grace  of  God. 


3i8  LEAVEN. 

With  our  lack  of  faith  they  are  perhaps  essential ;  but 
when  the  day  of  a  strong  faith  comes  to  us  we  shall 
cast  them  all  aside,  as  the  stripling  David  did  the 
armor  of  King  Saul,  that  he  might  use  his  sling  in  de- 
pendence upon  the  God  of  Israel.  And  why  should 
we  not  have  faith  ?  The  grace  of  God  is  not  a  sug- 
gestion of  yesterday,  with  which  we  are  asked  to  ex- 
periment. It  has  been  in  use  for  centuries,  and  its 
successes  have  been  recorded  by  many  historians. 
Individual  and  social  life  can  exhibit  evidences  of  the 
power  of  divine  grace,  which  should  silence  every 
criticism.  Here  is  Paul,  a  man  of  magnificent  pro- 
portions, and  he  yielded  himself  entirely  to  the  control 
of  grace  :  and  here  is  Augustine,  whose  brilliant  career 
was  ennobled  and  enlarged  after  Ambrose  had  taught 
him  to  appreciate  the  influence  of  Jesus :  here  is 
Anselm,  who  crossed  the  Alps,  and  made  his  way  at 
last  to  the  See  of  Canterbury,  an  Italian  becoming 
thus  the  primate  of  Britain,  and  realizing  at  every 
step  of  his  progress  the  sanctifying  control  of  our 
blessed  Lord :  here  is  Bernard  of  Clairvaux,  whose 
Christian  manhood  made  the  rude  hut  which  he  oc- 
cupied the  centre  of  Christendom,  whence,  in  the 
name  of  Christ,  he  rebuked  kings  and  prelates,  and 
where  he  preached  a  Gospel  whose  magnetism  drew 
princes  and  courtiers  to  a  holy  life  :  here  is  John 
Knox,  whose  stern,  heroic  nature  was  worth  more 
than  an  army  to  any  cause,  surrendering  promptly 


LEA  VEN. 


319 


and  entirely  to  the  demands  of  grace :  here  is  Ruther- 
ford, whose  persecutions  witnessed  to  the  reality  of 
sustaining  grace,  so  that  he  was  able  to  call  his  gloomy 
prison  "  Christ's  palace  in  Aberdeen  ":  here  is  Baxter, 
announcing  through  grace  the  "  Saint's  Rest ":  and 
Jeremy  Taylor,  writing  "The  truth  as  it  is  in  Jesus," 
concerning  "  Holy  living"  and  "  Holy  dying  ":  here 
is  Luther,  stripping  from  the  tree  of  life  the  fungus 
growths  of  ages  of  worldliness  and  superstition  ;  and 
here  is  Bunyan,  sending  forth  his  pilgrim  to  journey 
on  to  Heaven  with  the  strength  and  direction  of 
grace:  here  is  Wesley,  organizing  a  spiritual  cam- 
paign, whose  victories  have  planted  the  cross  in  almost 
every  land  :  and  here  is  Chalmers,  solving  the  problem 
of  pauperism,  with  the  assistance  of  grace  :  here  are 
the  abodes  of  cannibalism,  transformed  by  grace  into 
Christian  homes :  and  here  are  the  amenities  of  life, 
possessed  by  nations  once  savage,  to  whom  the  grace 
of  God  has  come. 

I  might  ask  you  to  consider  the  influence  of  Jesus 
as  it  has  affected  child-life,  and  you  would  be  com- 
pelled to  visit  the  nurseries  and  the  schools,  in  which 
the  Gospel  is  now  moulding  the  coming  generation ; 
I  might  ask  you  to  consider  its  influence  upon 
woman's  life,  and  you  would  quickly  acknowledge 
that  the  Christian  nations  of  the  world  give  to  woman 
the  only  estimate  at  all  approaching  her  natural 
rights  ;    I   might  ask  you   to  consider   its  influence 


320 


LEA  VEN. 


upon  slavery,  and  you  could  hardly  fail  to  acknowl- 
edge that  the  Epistle  to  Philemon  states  the  prin- 
ciple which  has  loosened  the  fetters  of  the  slave 
until  they  have  fallen  from  his  limbs ;  I  might  ask 
you  to  consider  its  influence  upon  criminals,  and  you 
would  become  interested  in  the  good  work  which 
was  inaugurated  by  John  Howard  and  Elizabeth 
Fry ;  I  might  ask  you  to  consider  its  influence  upon 
war,  and  you  would  surely  take  notice  of  the  prev- 
alence of  arbitration,  as  well  as  of  the  desire  to  miti- 
gate the  severity  of  war;  I  might  ask  you  to  con- 
sider its  influence  upon  toleration,  and  you  would  be 
obliged  to  account  for  the  deliverances  of  the  Berlin 
Conference  respecting  intercourse  with  the  Congo 
territory.  "  The  peculiarity  of  Christ's  teachings  in 
regard  to  political  matters,"  a  thoughtful  writer  re- 
marks, "  was  that  He  left  them  entirely  on  one  side, 
but  threw  in  a  principle  into  human  society  which 
was  destined  in  after  ages  to  overthrow  or  modify  all 
existing  institutions  and  governments."  He  was  in 
no  haste.  Long  periods  of  gradual  improvement  were 
evident  to  His  prescience.  The  leaven  hid  in  the 
measures  of  meal  required  time  for  its  complete  ex- 
pression. So  we  wait,  and  yet  we  wait  with  patient 
expectation.  The  present  and  the  past  are  the  earn- 
est of  the  future.  Our  Christian  optimism  is  not 
credulity.    We  do  not  believe  that 


LEAVEN.  321 

"  Somehow  good 
Will  be  the  final  goal  of  ill "; 

we  do  not  expect  to  awake  to  the  realization  that  we 
have  suddenly  reached  Utopia ;  we  are  not  anticipat- 
ing the  millennium  to-morrow  or  the  next  day.  Noth- 
ing of  the  sort.  Grave  evils  confront  us.  The  social 
questions  which  demand  a  solution  will  all  be  an- 
swered before  "  the  new  Heavens  and  the  new  earth 
wherein  dwelleth  righteousness "  shall  appear.  We 
may  agree  as  to  this,  even  if  we  can  not  agree  as  to 
the  best  methods  of  solving  the  questions.  For 
Christian  civilization  can  never  rest  satisfied  until  the 
poor  are  considered,  until  the  weak  are  protected, 
until  opportunity  is  afforded.  We  shudder  when 
we  hear  the  explosion  of  dynamite,  but  what  shall 
we  do  ?  Shall  we  redouble  our  guards  and  immure 
ourselves  in  splendid  palaces  as  the  Russian  Czar  has  ? 
Shall  we  refuse  to  go  out,  and  to  look  upon  our 
fellow-men,  and  to  inquire  how  they  are  living,  and 
what  they  need  ?  Christ  says :  "  Go,  and  I  will  go 
with  you."  But  this  means  contact,  and  contact 
means  insult,  and  insult  precedes  violence,  and  vio- 
lence may  end  in  death.  Yet  "  it  is  enough  for  the 
disciple  that  he  be  as  his  Master,  and  the  servant  as 
his  Lord."  In  His  name  He  bids  us  approach  our 
fellow-men.  With  His  grace  He  commands  us  to 
rescue  them.  Into  their  lives  this  grace  will  enter 
to  make  itself  felt  as  the  power  of  God  unto  salvation. 
14* 


322  LEAVEN. 

Why  should  we  hesitate?  Is  the  Church  feeble  in 
numbers,  in  wealth,  in  intelligence,  in  social  influ- 
ence ?  Far  from  being  feeble,  we  fear  that  her  great 
strength  is  a  source  of  weakness,  because  strength 
begets  self-confidence.  In  the  United  States  alone, 
the  Church  enrolls  more  than  ten  million  communi- 
cants in  a  population  of  fifty  millions.  And  who 
does  not  know  that  the  wealth  of  the  Church,  and  the 
intelligence  of  the  Church,  and  the  social  influence 
of  the  Church  have  never  been  equalled  ?  Has  our 
Lord  any  message  to  His  Church  ?  Does  He  speak 
to  you,  my  friends,  who  are  looking  forward  to  years 
of  service?  When  the  Church  was  very  small — 
some  five  hundred  strong — He  said,  as  He  contem- 
plated the  conquest  of  the  world,  "  Preach  the 
Gospel."  That  was  all.  "Preach  the  Gospel." 
Would  He  say  so  now?  Has  He,  think  you,  lost 
confidence  in  the  power  of  His  graces?  Would  He 
devise  some  new  measures?  No!  He  desires  the 
Christian  graces,  and  nothing  but  the  grace  of  God  is 
competent  to  their  production.  Let  us  sympathize 
with  Him !  Let  us  depend  more  than  we  do  upon 
God's  grace  !     Let  us  use  it  more  faithfully ! 

What,  then,  is  the  need  of  the  present  ?  I  answer, 
unhesitatingly,  a  firm  confidence  in  the  influence  of 
Jesus  Christ;  a  confidence  that  traces  His  influence 
to  its  source  in  the  heart  of  God ;  a  confidence  that 
believes  in  His  ability  and  readiness  to  make  Himself 


LEA  VEN. 


323 


felt  in  every  life  and  in  every  community;  a  con- 
fidence that  holds  firmly  to  the  Holy  Spirit's  intelli- 
gent, pervasive,  invincible  activity.  Men  need  the 
Gospel.  Society  needs  the  Gospel.  Not  philosophy, 
not  speculation,  not  any  form  of  words,  but  the  Gos- 
pel of  the  grace  of  God  which  once  conquered  the 
Roman  Empire,  and  which  has  since  given  us  the 
Protestant  Reformation.  Let  us  believe  this  with 
sincere  and  effective  belief. 

Again  I  ask,  what  is  the  need  of  the  present  ?  And 
I  answer  promptly,  that  all  Christians  should  use  the 
influence  of  Jesus  Christ ;  that  they  should  use  it  in 
the  formation  of  their  own  characters  and  in  helpful 
work  for  others.  For  believe  me,  my  friends,  when 
I  say,  that  there  is  nothing  that  you  can  do  for  a 
human  being  which  will  prove  so  helpful  to  him  as 
to  lead  him  to  accept  the  grace  of  God.  When  the 
grace  of  God  is  universally  accepted  and  as  univer- 
sally manifested,  there  will  be  no  communism,  no 
nihilism,  no  dynamite,  no  drunkenness,  no  pauperism, 
no  stealing,  no  lying,  no  murder,  no  cruelties,  no 
wars.  Then  peace  will  be  the  hum  of  cheerful  in- 
dustry, and  love  will  be  the  bond  of  social  union, 
and  comfort  will  be  known  at  every  fireside,  and 
prayer  will  be  heard  in  all  lands,  and  the  Redeemer 
will  come  again  to  visit  His  people,  and  there  will  be 
a  long  season  of  happy,  safe,  holy  prosperity. 

Once  more  I  ask,  what  is  the  need  of  the  present  ? 


324 


LEA  VEN. 


And  I  answer  gladly,  hope.  The  Gospel  promises 
have  been  confirmed  already.  God  will  not  forget 
His  word.  He  has  met  it  faithfully  in  many  ways. 
We  may  hope,  and  thus  await  the  triumph. 

Two  historical  incidents  may  serve  to  emphasize 
the  truth  which  we  have  been  considering.  In  the 
tenth  century  it  was  announced  to  the  world  that 
Vladimir,  the  Grand  Duke  of  Russia,  was  proposing 
to  change  his  religion.  Instantly  ambassadors  ap- 
peared at  court  to  represent  the  advantages  of  many 
different  religions.  The  cautious  monarch,  however, 
decided  to  send  his  own  ambassadors  to  visit  the 
nations,  and  to  consider  the  characteristics  of  the  re- 
ligions in  the  homes  of  those  who  held  to  them. 
At  Constantinople,  and  in  the  ancient  church  of  St. 
Sophia,  the  splendid  service  of  the  Greek  Liturgy 
captivated  them,  and  they  returned  to  declare  that 
they  had  "  felt  as  if  in  the  presence  of  the  Angels  of 
Heaven."  Vladimir  accepted  their  report ;  and  he 
and  his  court  were  thereupon  baptized  in  the  waters 
of  the  Dneiper.  Then  using  his  autocratic  authority, 
he  commanded  his  subjects  to  be  baptized,  and  they 
obeyed  him  ;  he  compelled  his  armies  to  accept  Chris- 
tianity and  the  soldiers  were  enlisted  under  the  ban- 
ner of  the  cross.  Thus  the  Gospel,  in  a  few  years, 
secured  a  formal  recognition,  while,  alas,  its  spiritual 
power,  its  liberty,  its  purity  of  thought  and  action 
were  little  known.     Russia  is  still  Cossack,  although 


LEAVEN.  325 

nearly  nine  centuries  have  passed  since  the  baptism 
of  the  Grand  Duke.  A  formal  recognition  of  the 
Gospel  was  not  the  hiding  of  the  leaven  in  the 
measures  of  meal. 

Let  us  go  back  a  few  hundred  years,  and  then  let 
us  stand  upon  the  Irish  coast  and  observe  a  little 
company  of  resolute  men  who  are  launching  a  rude 
vessel  on  the  waters  of  Loch  Foyle.  They  have  no 
swords,  no  spears,  no  instruments  of  war,  and  yet 
they  are  soldiers.  A  few  seeds,  a  net,  and  some  food 
constitute  their  cargo,  although  we  must  not  fail  to 
mention  the  copy  of  parts  of  the  Holy  Scriptures 
which  they  have  placed  in  a  wallet  of  skin.  They 
are  all  young  men  of  education,  and  they  all  know 
the  grace  of  God.  Columba,  an  Irish  nobleman,  is 
their  leader,  and  they  have  resolved  to  carry  the 
Gospel  to  the  heathen  tribes  beyond  the  sea.  The 
wind  is  fair.  Their  spreading  sail  soon  bears  them 
to  an  island,  from  which,  as  they  can  see  their  native 
land,  which  they  have  resolved  to  leave  out  of  sight, 
they  depart  to  settle  at  last  among  the  hills  of  Iona. 
Here  they  began  their  work  of  preaching.  The 
neighboring  tribes — rude  and  idolatrous — were  visit- 
ed, and  to  them  the  unsearchable  riches  of  Christ 
were  made  known.  Their  busy  pens  multiplied 
copies  of  the  sacred  writings,  which  they  placed  in 
the  hands  of  the  people.  Learning  that  Brude,  a 
powerful  king  of  the  Picts,  had  refused  to   receive 


326  LEA  VEN. 

them,  Columba  approached  the  closed  gate  of  his 
fortress,  singing,  as  he  advanced,  the  45th  Psalm. 
The  gate  was  opened.  The  missionary  was  admitted. 
His  message  was  heard.  The  Gospel  found  a  place 
in  the  hearts  of  the  tribes,  where  its  manifestations 
in  character  and  life  have  given  to  the  world  the 
splendid  history  of  the  Church  of  Scotland.  No 
formal  recognition  of  Christianity  has  made  that  his- 
tory. It  has  been  a  tribute  to  the  subduing,  elevat- 
ing power  of  the  grace  of  God. 

The  contrast  is  instructive.  May  we  learn  the 
lesson,  and  prove  our  intelligence  by  our  fidelity  to 
the  influence  of  Jesus  Christ !  "  For  Christ,"  said 
the  great  apostle,  "  sent  me  not  to  baptize,  but  to 
preach  the  Gospel ";  and  the  Master  himself  declared 
that  "  the  kingdom  of  God  cometh  not  with  observa- 
tion," "  for  behold  the  kingdom  of  God  is  within 
you." 

"  Now  unto  Him  that  is  able  to  do  exceeding 
abundantly  above  all  that  we  ask  or  think,  according 
to  the  power  that  worketh  in  us,  unto  Him  be  glory 
in  the  Church,  by  Christ  Jesus,  throughout  all  ages, 
world  without  end.     Amen." 


XVII. 

"OUT  OF  SELF,  INTO  CHRIST,  UP  TO 
GLORY."— THE  FUTURE  WITH  JESUS 
CHRIST. 

"  If  any  man  serve  me,  let  him  follow  me  ;  and 
where  I  am,  there  shall  also  my  servant  be ; 
if  any  man  serve  me,  him  will  my  Father 
honor." — John  xii.  26. 

To  serve  is  to  follow,  and  to  follow  is  to  enter  into 
the  joy  of  the  Lord.  Service  requires  an  intimacy  of 
fellowship,  which  is  the  vital  union  of  Christ  and  the 
Christian ;  and  a  divine  leadership  is  a  safe  conduct 
from  earth  to  heaven.  No  one  can  serve  who  is  un- 
willing to  deny  himself  and  to  take  up  his  cross  daily; 
and  no  one  can  follow  who  hesitates  to  go  with  Christ 
even  to  death  and  the  grave.  "  He  that  loveth  his 
life  shall  lose  it ;  and  he  that  hateth  his  life  in  this 
world  shall  keep  it  unto  life  eternal."  God  is  not 
arbitrary.  "  Whatsoever  a  man  soweth,  that  shall  he 
also  reap.  For  he  that  soweth  to  his  flesh  shall  of 
the  flesh  reap  corruption  ;  but  he  that  soweth  to  the 
Spirit  shall  of  the  Spirit  reap  life  everlasting."  "The 
inheritance  of  the  saints  in  light"  is  the  natural  expres- 
sion of  a  love  which  brings  hope  to  penitence.    "  Strait 

(327) 


32S         THE  FUTURE  WITH  JESUS  CHRIST. 

is  the  gate  and  narrow  is  the  way,"  and  the  pilgrim- 
age ends  when  the  city  is  reached.  The  servant  who 
follows  the  Master  day  by  day  is  preparing  to  share 
with  the  Master  the  glory  of  a  higher  service.  Holy 
character  waits  upon  the  discipline  of  service.  "  The 
recompense  of  the  reward  "  is  bestowed  upon  those 
who  are  able  to  appreciate  it. 

Thus  the  future  life  of  the  Christian  is  the  perfect- 
ing of  his  present  life  with  Christ.  Death  is  a  great 
event,  but  in  reality  it  is  not  so  great  an  event  as 
conversion ;  for  conversion  is  the  beginning  of  that 
spiritual  life  whose  expansion  is  to  continue  forever. 
That  life  comes  to  the  hour  of  death  as  the  heir 
reaches  the  period  of  his  majority,  or  as  the  scholar 
approaches  the  day  of  his  graduation.  New  respon- 
sibilities announce  themselves.  Under  new  condi- 
tions grace  discovers  its  excellence.  Beyond  the 
material  and  the  visible,  this  mortal  puts  on  immor- 
tality. There  is  no  loss,  except  the  welcome  loss  of 
sin  ;  no  forgetfulness,  except  the  forgetting  of  every 
unworthy  and  disturbing  memory ;  no  inaction,  no 
torpor.  Life  is  still  real  and  earnest.  The  intellect 
is  alive,  and  eager  in  its  pursuit  of  truth  ;  the  heart 
is  warm,  and  happy  in  its  attachment  to  all  that  is 
pure  ;  and  the  will  knows  no  conflict  of  choices,  for 
every  choice  is  subordinated  to  the  love  of  God.  The 
earthly  has  given  place  to  the  heavenly.  Where  Christ 
is,  there  also  His  servant  is. 


THE  FUTURE  WITH  JESUS  CHRIST.        329 

When  Frederick  Denison  Maurice — a  man  whose 
spirituality  was  intensely  keen  and  appreciative — 
approached  the  hour  of  his  departure,  he  quietly 
remarked  to  the  friends  who  stood  around  his  bed : 
"  I  am  not  going  to  Death,  I  am  going  into  Life." 
Then,  with  a  benediction  upon  his  lips,  he  closed  his 
eyes  and  ceased  to  breathe.  Of  such  a  departure  he 
had  himself  said:  "As  men  watch  the  last  breath  of 
a  dear  friend,  they  seize  his  language ;  they  feel  that 
they  have  a  right  to  it.  They  say,  A  moment  ago 
he  was  mortal,  and  now  he  is  free.  It  has  been  but 
a  twinkling  of  an  eye,  and  what  a  change  has  come ! 
Though  the  decaying,  agonized  frame  is  lying  calm 
and  at  rest,  he  who  spoke  a  few  minutes  before  did 
not  derive  his  powers  of  speech,  any  more  than  the 
celestial  smile,  which  still  remains  on  the  clay  from 
that  clay." 

When  he  heard  of  this  translation,  the  Dean  of 
Wells,  Dr.  Plumptre,  expressed  himself  most  beauti- 
fully in  these  simple  lines : 

"  He,  too,  is  there  !  and  can  we  dream 
Their  joy  is  other  now  than  when 
They  dwelt  among  the  sons  of  men, 
As  walking  in  the  eternal  gleam  ? 

"  We  know  not,  but  if  life  be  there 

The  outcome  and  the  crown  of  this  ; 
What  else  can  make  their  perfect  bliss 
Than  in  the  Master's  work  to  share  ? 


330         THE  FUTURE   WITH  JESUS  CHRIST. 

"  Resting,  but  not  in  slumbrous  ease, 
Working,  but  not  in  wild  unrest, 
Still  ever  blessing,  ever  blest, 
They  see  us  as  the  Father  sees." 


This  conception  of  the  future  life  rests  upon  the 
assurances  of  the  divine  Word  and  upon  Christian 
consciousness.  The  divine  Word  reveals  it,  and 
Christian  consciousness — another  word  of  God — an- 
nounces, in  many  a  sure  prophecy,  the  bright,  cheer- 
ful hopes  which  make  it  easy  "  to  depart  and  to  be 
with  Christ." 

The  word  of  the  Lord  Jesus  Christ  promises  to 
the  Christian  a  blessed  immortality  in  Heaven.  A 
moment's  reflection  would  convince  any  one  that 
Jesus  Christ  announced  a  life  after  death,  and  that 
He  associated  that  life  with  the  life  of  the  present. 
From  the  first  hour  of  His  public  ministry  to  the 
last,  He  was  engaged  in  an  endeavor  to  persuade 
men  that  death  does  not  end  all,  and  that  a  peaceful, 
happy  existence  awaits  those  who  prepare  for  it  by 
faith  in  Him.  He  was  never  betrayed  into  anything 
like  sentimental  expressions,  nor  did  He  ever  attempt 
to  gratify  an  idle  curiosity.  With  firmness  and  em- 
phasis the  truth  was  spoken,  while  His  silence  was 
always  eloquent. 

The  truth,  as  He  presented  it,  is  a  declaration  of 
the  important  fact  that  there  is  a  distinct  place  into 
which  the  righteous  enter  when  they  die.     He  refers 


THE  FUTURE  WITH  JESUS  CHRIST.        331 

to  this  place  when  He  says  to  the  penitent  thief, 
"To-day  shalt  thou  be  with  me  in  Paradise":  when 
He  speaks  of  Lazarus,  who  was  carried  by  the  angels 
into  Abraham's  bosom  :  when  He  announces  the  com- 
ing of  many  from  the  East  and  West,  who  shall  sit 
down  with  Abraham  and  Isaac  and  Jacob  in  the  king- 
dom of  Heaven  :  when  He  discourses  upon  the  many 
mansions  in  His  Father's  house,  and  upon  the  prep- 
arations which  He  proposes  to  make  to  receive  His 
disciples:  when  He  pronounces  His  benedictions,  and 
calls  the  righteous  to  inherit  the  kingdom  prepared 
for  them  from  the  foundation  of  the  world.  These 
references  may  be  regarded  as  figurative.  Yet  they 
are  interpreted  by  the  plainest  statements  respecting 
life.  How  frequently  our  Lord  gives  the  promise  of 
eternal  life  !  How  fond  He  appears  to  be  of  dwelling 
upon  the  significance  of  life  !  Life,  as  He.  regards  it, 
is  evidently  spiritual  perfection.  Human  nature  is  at 
its  best  when  it  has  this  life  eternal.  Such  life  is  not 
known  here,  and  yet  we  have  the  earnest  of  it  even 
now.  It  is  a  life  which  requires  a  residence,  and  that 
residence  is  Heaven.  "  Father,"  you  can  hardly  fail 
to  recall  the  precious  language  of  the  intercessory 
prayer,  "  I  will  that  they  also  whom  Thou  hast  given 
me  be  with  me  where  I  am  :  that  they  may  behold  my 
glory  which  Thou  hast  given  me  :  for  Thou  lovedst 
me  before  the  foundation  of  the  world."  What  can 
be  made  of  such  an  entreaty  if  it  has  no  reference  to 


332         THE  FUTURE  WITH  JESUS  CHRIST 

the  condition  of  the  disciples  after  death  ?  Our  Lord 
was  just  ready  to  close  His  work.  In  a  few  days  He 
would  return  to  His  throne.  Can  we  understand 
Him  if  we  refuse  to  recognize  His  desire  for  the  com- 
panionship, close  and  intimate,  of  those  whose  love 
He  has  won  ?  "  Where  I  am  there  ye  may  be  also," 
is  His  promise.  Does  He  mean  what  He  says?  If 
so,  is  not  His  meaning  evident  ?  Has  the  Church  been 
mistaken  in  accepting  these  pledges  ?  Shall  we  begin 
now  to  erase  from  the  tablets  which  record  the  faith 
of  the  departed  all  these  precious  words  of  the 
Redeemer?  Must  we  read  anew  that  triumphant 
challenge  to  death  and  the  grave  which  Martha  of 
Bethany  heard  as  Jesus  approached  her  brother's 
sepulchre?  Can  we  reduce  that  splendid  declaration 
of  immortal  blessedness  which  has  sustained  the  faith 
of  all  the  Christian  centuries  to  a  mere  announcement 
of  spiritual  revival  ?  Lazarus  was  dead.  He  had 
been  dead  four  days.  The  broken-hearted  Martha 
greeted  the  arrival  of  Jesus  with  the  half-complaining 
exclamation  :  "  If  Thou  hadst  been  here  my  brother 
had  not  died."  Jesus  replied  instantly  :  "  Thy  bro- 
ther shall  rise  again."  Then  Martha  answered  :  "  I 
know  that  he  shall  rise  again  in  the  resurrection  at 
the  last  day."  Now  what  had  Jesus  to  say  ;  what  did 
He  say?  He  was  in  the  presence  of  a  sorrowful 
woman.  How  did  He  meet  her  confidence?  Jesus 
said  unto  her:  "I    am   the  resurrection  and  the  life. 


THE  FUTURE   WITH  JESUS  CHRIST.        333 

He  that  believeth  in  me,  though  he  were  dead, 
yet  shall  he  live,  and  whosoever  liveth  and  believeth 
in  me  shall  never  die."  Certainly  He  could  not  have 
wished  to  convey  the  impression  that  the  believer  will 
never  come  under  the  power  of  physical  death ;  for 
He  himself  felt  that  power  and  yielded  to  it.  He 
must  have  looked  on  to  the  future  life,  which  is 
entered  through  physical  death  as  a  gateway.  In 
view  of  His  own  life  and  work  He  was  able  to  promise 
deliverance  and  triumph  to  His  disciples. 

We  shall  not  readily  relinquish  our  hold  upon  "  the 
truth  as  it  is  in  Jesus  "  respecting  immortality.  We 
need  this  truth.  Ours  is  a  world  of  sickness,  of  death, 
and  of  graves.  "  Friend  after  friend  departs."  We 
crave  knowledge  of  the  future.  After  death,  what  ? 
Up  to  the  boundary  line  we  advance  with  the  gifted 
spirits  whose  presence  has  made  life  desirable,  and 
then  our  farewells  are  spoken.  A  frail,  decaying 
body  is  left  to  us,  sightless,  speechless,  pulseless. 
And  is  that  all  ?  Where  is  the  gifted  spirit  ?  Tell 
me  not  that  we  must  be  satisfied  to  remain  in  igno- 
rance. We  can  not  be  satisfied.  Yonder  man,  whose 
friends  are  all  around  him,  in  health  and  vigor,  may 
think  that  he  is  satisfied.  But  let  death  touch  the 
cheek  of  that  lovely  daughter:  let  the  grave  open 
to  receive  the  form  of  that  idolized  son  :  and  then 
venture,  if  you  dare,  to  talk  about  annihilation  or 
ignorance.     No  !     No  !  the  pressure  of  a  practical  ex- 


334        THE  FUTURE  WITH  JESUS  CHRIST. 

perience  is  recognized  in  the  wistful,  anxious  cry  for 
knowledge.  Is  there  another  life  ?  What  are  its 
conditions?     How  is  its  blessedness  secured? 

To  this  cry  the  promises  of  the  Lord  Jesus  Christ 
are  a  response.  His  presence  is  assuring.  We  know 
that  He  is  faithful  and  true,  and  we  also  know  that 
He  came  down  from  Heaven.  Just  as  in  our  ordinary 
journeys  to  distant  parts  of  the  earth,  we  accept  the 
testimony  of  credible  witnesses  ;  just  as  we  should  not 
hesitate  to  sail  forth  from  the  secure  harbors  upon  a 
trackless  ocean  in  expectation  of  reaching  another 
continent  of  which  we  have  heard  ;  so  in  this  supreme 
journey  we  accept  the  statements  of  the  Son  of  Man 
concerning  Heaven  and  the  course  thither.  We  be- 
lieve what  He  says.  We  believe  that  He  speaks 
advisedly.  He  has  told  us  earthly  things,  and  His 
speech  has  been  confirmed  ;  may  we  not  believe  when 
He  tells  us  heavenly  things  ? 

The  prophecies  of  a  Christian  life  demand  for 
their  fulfilment  a  residence  with  Christ  Jesus  our 
Lord  in  Heaven.  Every  life  presents  its  own  proph- 
ecies. The  living  epistles,  known  and  read  of  all 
men,  are  covered  with  predictions  of  future  blessed- 
ness or  misery.  Not  more  evident  are  the  prophecies 
of  Isaiah,  Jeremiah,  and  Malachi.  Judas  Iscariot 
went  to  his  own  place  when  his  wretched  career  of 
treachery  had  been  cut  short  by  suicide.  There  was 
but   one   place  for  which   he  had  prepared  himself. 


THE  FUTURE  WITH  JESUS  CHRIST.        335 

The  hypocrisy  of  his  attendance  upon  the  Master 
could  not  conceal  the  cunning  and  duplicity  of  his 
wicked  heart.  He  was  a  bad  man  from  the  begin- 
ning, and  he  grew  worse  instead  of  better  as  the  years 
advanced.  Without  a  radical  change — a  change 
which  would  have  been  indicated  by  his  sincere  pen- 
itence— he  could  not  have  made  his  way  to  Heaven. 
On  the  other  hand,  Stephen's  life  was  an  anticipation 
of  the  joy  of  Heaven.  He  was  a  heavenly  evangelist, 
even  when  he  contended  with  the  learned  men  of  the 
synagogues.  "  Looking  steadfastly  on  him  they  saw 
his  face  as  it  had  been  the  face  of  an  angel."  A  holy 
constraint  was  advancing  him  toward  the  perfect  life 
which  Heaven  knows.  His  spiritual  vision  was  clari- 
fied. He  seemed  to  be  out  of  the  body  before  death 
released  him.  "  He  being  full  of  the  Holy  Ghost, 
looked  up  steadfastly  into  Heaven,  and  saw  the  glory 
of  God,  and  Jesus  standing  on  the  right  hand  of  God, 
and  said  :  '  Behold,  I  see  the  heavens  opened  and  the 
Son  of  Man  standing  on  the  right  hand  of  God.'  " 
His  happy  experience  was  not  exceptional.  It  has 
been  shared  by  many  of  our  Lord's  disciples.  The 
prophecy  of  the  saintly  life  has  discovered  its  fulfil- 
ment, and  the  veil  has  been  lifted  with  an  assured 
confidence  that  Heaven  is  not  far  away.  The  Eng- 
lish Laureate,  with  a  poet's  truthful  insight,  has  ap- 
preciated this  prophetic  attitude  of  holiness,  and  has 
sung  of  those 


336         THE  FUTURE  WITH  JESUS  CHRIST. 

"  To  whom  was  given 
The  joy  that  mixes  man  with  Heaven ; 

"  Who,  rowing  hard  against  the  stream, 
Saw  distant  gates  of  Eden  gleam, 
And  did  not  dream  it  was  a  dream : 

"  But  heard  by  secret  transport  led, 
Ev'n  in  the  charnels  of  the  dead, 
The  murmur  of  the  fountain  head. 

"  Which  did  accomplish  their  desire, 
Bore  and  forbore,  and  did  not  tire, 
Like  Stephen,  an  unquenched  fire." 

Oh !  that  we  might  be  led  to  consider  these  proph- 
ecies !  They  are  surely  most  impressive.  Heaven  is 
not  entered  by  accident.  No  happy  chance  will  trans- 
port the  sensualist  from  his  cups  and  his  revelry  to 
the  marriage  supper  of  the  Lamb ;  no  process  of  de- 
velopment will  bring  the  infidel  to  rejoice  in  the 
worship  of  our  divine  Redeemer;  no  sentimental 
clemency  will  open  the  gates  of  pearls  to  welcome 
men  who  have  lived  and  died  without  reference  to 
the  essential  work  of  grace.  "  Ye  must  be  born 
again."  The  new  birth  of  the  Holy  Spirit  establishes 
the  character  which  has  "  its  fruit  unto  holiness  and 
the  end  everlasting  life." 

For  the  Christian  life  is  a  reality.  We  may  judge 
of  its  quality ;  we  may  test  its  method ;  we  may  dis- 
cover its  foundation.  The  foundation  is  Jesus  Christ, 
inasmuch  as  the  Christian  life  rests  upon  His  person 


THE  FUTURE   WITH  JESUS  CHRIST.         337 

and  work.  He  is  beneath  all  Christian  life.  "  Other 
foundation  can  no  man  lay  than  that  is  laid,  which  is 
Jesus  Christ."  As  in  the  erection  of  a  house,  the 
foundation  is  indicative  of  the  strength,  the  dura- 
bility, and  the  general  form  of  the  structure,  so  is  it 
in  the  Christian  life.  If  a  man  proposes  to  build  a 
shelter  for  cattle,  he  does  not  lay  the  substantial 
foundations  that  he  uses  when  he  prepares  to  build 
a  home  for  his  family.  When  he  is  providing  a  per- 
manent home,  his  foundations  are  massive.  As  his 
means  allow,  so  he  provides  for  the  future.  Jesus 
Christ,  as  a  foundation,  is  secured  freely.  No  one  is 
so  poor  that  he  is  unable  to  establish  his  life  on  this 
best  foundation.  He  may  depend  upon  the  salva- 
tion, which  his  Lord  has  provided.  He  may  commit 
himself  unreservedly  to  this  divine  Protector.  Here 
is  his  confidence  for  time  and  for  eternity.  You  may 
destroy  a  structure  by  fire,  by  tempest,  by  violence, 
and  yet  the  foundation  will  remain ;  and  from  the 
foundation,  the  structure  may  rise  again.  But  when 
the  foundation  is  gone,  all  is  gone.  This  is  what 
Paul  meant  when  he  said  that  "the  fire  shall  try 
every  man's  work  of  what  sort  it  is  ";  and  that  there 
are  some  who  "  shall  be  saved,  yet  so  as  by  fire." 
Careless  building  upon  the  true  foundation  is  pos- 
sible. There  may  be  a  Christian  beginning  without 
a  proper  Christian  progress.  One  may  accept  the 
Saviour,  and  then  become  very  worldly.  If  so,  the 
IS 


338         THE  FUTURE  WITH  JESUS  CHRIST. 

life-work  will  prove  a  loss.  The  trial  by  fire  will  con- 
sume the  gold,  the  silver,  the  precious  stones,  the 
wood,  the  hay,  the  stubble,  and  nothing  will  be  left 
but  the  foundation.  That  means  salvation  ;  but  not 
the  abundant  entrance  which  should  be  secured  into 
the  Heavenly  kingdom,  not  the  carrying  into  Heaven 
of  the  treasures  of  a  well-spent  life.  Occasionally 
we  meet  with  this  phase  of  experience,  when  we  find, 
at  death,  that  a  neglected,  abused  Christian  hope,  a 
hope  which  was  cherished,  perhaps,  in  early  life,  re- 
vives and  asserts  itself.  God  does  not  disregard  it, 
as  its  presence  becomes  evident ;  but  we  know  that 
it  fails  to  meet  His  cordial  approbation. 

For  the  foundation  indicates  the  plan  of  the  struc- 
ture. There  are  living  stones  in  the  quarry  of  the 
Divine  Word,  which  may  be  built  up  into  a  spiritual 
house.  These  living  stones  are  all  accessible.  The 
Divine  Word  is  within  our  reach.  We  may,  each 
Christian  for  himself,  shape  these  living  stones,  and 
lay  them,  course  by  course,  upon  the  foundation. 
What  are  we  building?  Why!  a  holy  temple  to  the 
Lord,  in  which  the  melodious  symphonies  of  sancti- 
fied praise  shall  never  cease  to  be  heard,  in  which  the 
truths  of  salvation  shall  be  proclaimed  with  the  elo- 
quence of  a  devout  activity,  in  which  the  presence  of 
the  Holy  Spirit  shall  be  manifest,  as  love  and  peace, 
mercy  and  faith,  resignation  and  aspiration,  are  lumin- 
ous from  the  light  within.    God  calls  no  man  to  erect 


THE  FUTURE   WITH  JESUS  CHRIST.        339 

a  banqueting-hall  as  a  place  of  revelry,  nor  an  ex- 
change as  a  mart  of  commerce;  nor  a  dungeon  in 
which  he  may  seclude  himself.  The  architecture  of 
the  earth  responds  to  many  demands  of  selfishness 
and  pleasure  and  business.  Not  so  with  the  archi- 
tecture of  Heaven.  There  the  demand  is  unique. 
The  one,  essential  requirement  is  "  holiness,  without 
which  no  man  shall  see  the  Lord."  Each  life,  in  its 
personal  building,  must  meet  this  requirement,  and 
thus  render  glory  to  God.  When  I  watch  the  patient 
workmen  who  here  upon  this  sloping  hill-side  and  in 
yonder  valley  express  such  a  variety  of  thoughts  in 
stone  and  timber,  as  they  provide  homes  for  the 
people,  I  wonder  if  they,  and  those  for  whom  they 
labor,  remember  that  there  is  "a  house  not  made 
with  hands,  eternal  in  the  Heavens,"  whose  architect 
is  God,  whose  foundation  is  Jesus  Christ,  whose  plan 
and  specifications  are  contained  in  the  Bible,  whose 
ultimate  purpose  is  that  it  may  be  "  a  habitation  of 
God  through  the  Spirit."  Carefully  do  they  build 
these  homes,  which  soon  must  be  vacated.  With  no 
restraint  of  industry  and  sacrifice  does  love  provide 
for  the  comfort  of  the  precious  household,  which  may 
not  hope  to  be  long  united.  It  is  well !  God  bless 
these  homes !  God  honor  those  who  bring  to  them 
the  best  of  offerings !  But  oh  !  let  us  not  forget  that 
there  is  another  house,  which  is  not  of  this  building. 
Oh  !  let  us  not  fail  to  build  the  holy  temple,  which  is 
our  house  from  Heaven  ! 


340        THE  FUTURE  WITH  JESUS  CHRIST. 

The  reality  of  the  Christian  life  is  so  evident  that 
we  require  no  extended  argument  in  support  of  it. 
We  know  natural  flowers  when  we  see  them  ;  and 
even  if  we  are  sometimes  deceived,  for  a  moment,  by 
the  skilful  imitations  of  art,  we  soon  discover  our 
mistake.  The  Queen*  of  Sheba,  it  is  said,  tested  the 
wisdom  of  Solomon  by  placing  before  him  real  and 
artificial  flowers,  and  asking  him  to  decide;  and  the 
ever-ready  king  determined  the  matter  by  inviting  to 
his  aid  a  swarm  of  bees.  Children  recognize  the  dis- 
tinction between  a  Christian  and  a  non-Christian  life  ; 
so  do  the  poor,  so  do  all  plain  people.  There  is  no 
denial  until  the  modern  philosopher  is  reached, 
whose  refined,  speculative,  critical  spirit  is  almost 
equivalent  to  a  paralysis  of  all  sensibility.  Differing 
in  its  supreme  choice,  differing  in  its  method,  differ- 
ing in  its  results,  the  Christian  life  is  an  exotic.  The 
seed  of  its  planting,  the  cutting  from  which  it  springs, 
has  been  brought  from  another  clime.  Heathenism 
has  not  produced  this  life,  nor  has  Mohammedanism. 
The  virtues  and  graces  of  false  religion  are  like  the 
rare  flowers  of  the  century  plant,  not  like  the  roses 
of  Sharon,  or  the  lilies  of  the  valley.  Occasionally 
you  meet  them.  The  starred  names  of  that  history 
are  very  few.  But  it  is  not  so  with  Christian  life. 
This  appears  whenever  faith  and  love  are  manifest  ; 
and  as  faith  and  love  are  the  universal  offer  of  the 
Gospel,  they  appear  constantly.     The  Spanish  Jesuits 


THE  FUTURE  WITH  JESUS  CHRIST.        341 

found  upon  the  Isthmus  of  Panama  a  singularly- 
beautiful  orchid,  whose  flower  was  a  delicate  white 
cup,  in  which  rested  the  form  of  a  dove  with  out- 
stretched wings.  They  instantly  named  it  "  Espiritu 
Santo," — "  The  Holy  Ghost."  To  their  vivid  imagina- 
tion it  seemed  like  a  plant  from  the  Garden  of  the 
Lord.  The  true  flower  of  the  Holy  Ghost  is  a  Chris- 
tian life — pure,  spotless,  refined,  spiritual,  devout — ■ 
upon  the  branch  which  has  sprung  from  the  Rod 
out  of  the  Stem  of  Jesse,  and  whose  aspiration,  like 
the  spreading  wings  of  a  dove,  is  the  earnest  of  a 
desire  to  fly  away  and  be  at  rest.  Is  there  no  cor- 
respondence to  this  desire  ?  Is  there  no  rest  which 
may  meet  these  divinely  inspired  aspirations?  Is 
man  at  his  best — and  man  is  surely  at  his  best  when 
his  thought  and  affections  go  out  after  holiness  and 
Heaven  —  a  delusion  and  a  cheat?  The  eye  was 
made  to  see,  and  there  is  beauty  all  around  ;  the  ear 
was  made  to  hear,  and  sounds  innumerable  bring  it 
satisfaction ;  the  intellect  was  made  for  truth,  and 
truth  is  present  to  reward  its  thought ;  the  heart  was 
made  for  love,  and  friends  respond  to  love's  magnetic 
charms.  Can  it  be  true  then  that  "  a  soul  that's  born 
of  God  "  is  mocked  and  doomed  to  bitter  disappoint- 
ment in  its  expectations  of  Heaven?  Are  these 
expectations  vain  and  worthless  ?  They  meet  the 
promise  of  our  divine  Lord.  Was  He,  too,  mistaken  ? 
"  If  in  this  life  only  we  have  hope  in  Christ,"  a  splen- 


342         THE  FUTURE  WITH  JESUS  CHRIST 

did  thinker  once  remarked,  "  we  are  of  all  men  most 
miserable."  He  could  not  endure  the  possibility. 
His  vigorous  mind  revolted  against  its  gloom  and 
despair.  For  he  quickly  met  the  demands  of  faith 
in  the  bold  announcement :  "  Now  is  Christ  risen 
from  the  dead,  and  become  the  first-fruits  of  them 
that  slept."  There  can  be  no  such  disappointment. 
"  Let  God  be  true."  When  He  has,  by  the  Holy 
Spirit,  aroused  us  from  the  deadly  lethargy  of  sin, 
when  He  has  quickened  and  inspired  us,  when  He 
has  spoken  to  us,  by  His  Son,  with  reference  to  the 
future  life,  and  has  led  us  to  prepare  for  its  high  and 
noble  satisfactions,  can  it  be  that  He  will  plunge  us 
at  death  into  vacuity  ? 

Then  another  prophecy — and  perhaps  a  more  sure 
word  of  prophecy — appears  in  the  incomplete  prog- 
ress which  an  earthly  life  secures — "  Not  as  though 
I  had  already  attained,  either  were  already  perfect." 
We  hardly  begin  to  live  the  Christian  life  when  we  die. 
Our  best  endeavors  are,  after  all,  experiments.  Some 
one  has  said*  that  "a  tree  rises  from  its  seed,  it  in- 
creases for  many  years,  it  is  beautiful  to  the  eye,  it 
yields  fruit,  it  furnishes  shade.  If  it  were  to  remain 
here  forever  it  could  do  nothing  worthier  or  better. 
It  has  attained  perfection  as  a  tree.  So  an  animal 
reaches  in  a  short  time  the  limit  of  its  powers 


*  Pres.  Hopkins,  "  Moral  Science,''  p.  288. 


THE  FUTURE  WITH  JESUS  CHRIST.      .  343 

It  is  perfect  as  an  animal But  no  one  can  say- 
that  man  reaches  here  his  perfection.  The  philos- 
opher who  has  traversed  the  circuit  of  human  knowl- 
edge and  has  pitched  his  tent  upon  its  outposts, 
not  only  does  not  approach  the  limits  of  knowledge, 
but  what  is  important,  he  does  not  find  his  powers 
burdened  or  embarrassed  by  the  knowledge  already 
acquired.  On  the  contrary,  every  advance  which  he 
makes  gives,  and  from  the  nature  of  the  powers  must 
give,  new  light  and  strength  to  make  further  ad- 
vances ;  and  when  old  age  comes  he  only  feels  him- 
self more  '  like  a  child  gathering  pebbles  on  the  shore 
of  the  great  ocean  of  truth.'  "  "  So  also,  and  more 
so,  is  it  with  the  good  man  making  progress  in  good- 
ness. His  path  is  like  the  shining  light.  Shall  it 
shine  more  and  more  unto  the  perfect  day,  or  shall 
it  go  out  in  darkness  ?  Or  shall  he  be  left  the  only 
fragmentary  being,  as  if  God  had  completed  every- 
thing else,  and  had  failed  in  His  grandest  undertak- 
ing, as  if  He  had,  indeed,  made  him  not  the  glory, 
but  the  jest  and  riddle  of  the  world  ?  "  What  Chris- 
tian life  can  fail  to  appreciate  the  force  of  this  argu- 
ment ?  Who  is  not  continually  "  reaching  forth  unto 
those  things  which  are  before  "  ?  We  know  that  we 
can  do  better,  that  we  can  be  better,  and  we  firmly 
believe  that  the  better  opportunity  lies  beyond. 

And  is  it  not  true  that  the  Christian  life  witnesses 
to  the  reality  of  a  growing  desire  to  be  very  near  to 


344         THE  FUTURE  WITH  JESUS  CHRIST. 

Christ  ?  Is  not  this  the  chief  desire  of  every  devoted 
Christian  ?  The  grand  apostle,  to  whom  we  so  often 
turn  for  instruction,  said  once :  "  For  to  me  to  live  is 
Christ,  and  to  die  is  gain."  Then  he  added  :  "  I  am 
in  a  strait  betwixt  two,  having  a  desire  to  depart  and 
to  be  with  Christ,  which  is  far  better."  He  rejoiced 
in  Christ.  His  soul  was  thrilled  at  every  remembrance 
of  his  Saviour's  love.  He  was  eager  to  know  Christ 
better,  and  to  love  Him  more.  Consequently  he  had 
to  check  the  ardor  which  looked  eagerly  toward  the 
departure,  whose  open  vision  would  be  the  face  of 
Christ.  We  may  share  his  expectation.  There  can 
be  no  Heaven  to  the  Christian  without  Christ.  This 
earth  becomes  heavenly  when  Christ  becomes  real. 
The  holy  hours,  which  emphasize  the  nearness  of  His 
sacred  presence,  are  simply  anticipations  of  that  end- 
less day  when  we  shall  be  like  Him  and  see  Him  as 
He  is. 

His  presence  alone  is  the  pledge  of  Heaven's  bless- 
edness— "  I  go  to  prepare  a  place  for  you."  That  is 
enough.  We  may  rest  upon  that  promise.  Do  you 
ask  me  what  Heaven's  life  is  ?  I  can  only  reply  that 
it  is  life  with  Christ.  Do  you  press  me  with  your 
questions  and  inquire  respecting  locality  and  occupa- 
tion ?  I  can  only  answer  that  it  is  where  Christ  is, 
and  that  we  shall  rejoice  in  the  occupation  that  He 
appoints.  We  are  to  be  welcomed,  not  as  guests,  to 
stay  a  few  days  and  then  to  depart,  but  as  brethren  to 


THE  FUTURE  WITH  JESUS  CHRIST.        345 

abide  forever  in  our  Father's  house  on  high.  We 
need  have  no  fears.  The  Christian  life,  here  and 
now,  is  awake  to  every  bright  and  noble  impulse,  to 
every  cheerful  recognition,  to  every  holy  service.  Do 
you  suppose,  can  any  one  suppose,  that  the  Christian 
life  in  its  perfection  will  be  dull  and  stupid  and  in- 
ane, without  sympathy,  without  recognition,  with- 
out activity,  with  a  ceaseless  round  of  psalms  and 
hymns  ?  There  is  no  warrant  for  the  supposition. 
Christ-likeness  forbids  it.  The  perfection  of  living 
is  wrapped  securely  in  the  announcement  that  "we 
shall  be  like  Him."  Oh,  the  rapture  of  that  experi- 
ence !  Oh,  the  inspiration  of  that  sublime  hope  !  Tell 
us,  ye  angels,  who  are  sent  forth  as  ministering 
spirits,  that  we  shall  be  like  Christ !  Tell  us,  ye 
saints,  who  are  already  safe  before  the  throne,  that 
we  shall  be  like  Christ !  Turn  the  shining  light  of 
that  splendid  realization  upon  our  defilement  and 
sin.  Consume  our  wickedness.  Burn  away  the  dross 
of  worldliness.  Refine  every  enduring  quality.  Set 
us  free  from  all  the  corruption  of  this  present  life. 
Grant,  O  God,  that  the  Holy  Spirit  may  never  leave 
nor  forsake  us,  but  preserving  us  blameless  may 
present  us  faultless  before  the  presence  of  Thy  glory 
with  exceeding  joy  !  The  consummation  of  Chris- 
tian life  is  realized  ;  the  many  prophecies  are  at  last 
fulfilled  ;  grace  has  ripened  into  glory.  God  be 
praised  !  a  sinner  has  become  a  saint ! 
15* 


346         THE  FUTURE  WITH  JESUS  CHRIST. 

"  O,  then  what  raptured  greetings 

On  Canaan's  happy  shore, 
What  knitting  severed  friendships  up, 

Where  partings  are  no  more  ! 
Then  eyes  with  joy  shall  sparkle, 

That  brimmed  with  tears  of  late, 
Orphans  no  longer  fatherless, 

Nor  widows  desolate." 


Yes,  brethren  and  friends,  Jesus  Christ  is  central  to 
all  hope  of  the  future.  Every  speculation  must  yield 
to  the  confident  assurances  of  His  Word  and  work. 
When  we  recognize  Him  as  Redeemer  and  Lord,  we 
have  a  reasonable  hope  of  immortality.  How  per- 
suasive, therefore,  is  His  appeal !  How  momentous 
are  the  consequences  of  faith  !  I  am  permitted  to 
offer  you  all  eternal  life  in  Him.  Your  days  on  earth 
are  numbered.  In  a  brief  time  you  will  have  passed 
away  to  be  known  here  no  more  forever.  Life  can 
not  be  long,  even  if  it  reaches  the  utmost  limit.  We 
must  pass  from  these  familiar  scenes  and  avocations. 
Shall  we  go  with  hope  ?  We  may.  The  opportunity 
is  ours.  God  grant  that  no  one  of  us  may  reject  it 
and  thus  lose  eternal  life. 

And  if  we  inquire  concerning  the  best  preparation 
for  the  eternal  life  in  Heaven,  we  shall  be  urged  to 
keep  near  to  Jesus  Christ.  He  is  the  Master  and  we 
are  the  servants.  In  His  service  we  shall  find  the 
needed  discipline.  When  we  are  ready  for  the  heav- 
enly occupations,  He  will  promote  us;  when  we  can 


THE  FUTURE   WITH  JESUS  CHRIST.        347 

serve  Him  better  there  than  here,  H  is  call  will  be  heard. 
Let  us  then  be  faithful — faithful  in  our  loyalty,  faith- 
ful in  our  daily  walk  and  conversation,  faithful  in 
every  least  service,  and  He  will  give  the  crown  of 
life. 

With  increasing  feebleness  of  body,  but  with  no 
abatement  of  spiritual  intelligence,  Anselm,  the  Arch- 
bishop of  Canterbury,  awaited  the  summons  of  his 
Lord.  For  many  months  he  was  carried  in  a  litter 
as  he  went  to  meet  his  appointments,  and  thus  he 
was  admonished  that  the  end  was  near.  On  Palm 
Sunday,  in  the  year  1109,  he  was  advised  that  he 
would  probably  celebrate  Easter  in  Heaven  and  not 
on  earth.  "  It  seems  so,"  he  answered,  "  and  I  shall 
gladly  obey  His  summons ;  yet  I  should  also  feel 
grateful  if  He  would  vouchsafe  me  a  longer  time  with 
you,  and  permit  me  to  solve  a  question  in  which  I 
feel  a  lively  interest  on  the  origin  of  souls."  "  On 
the  Tuesday  evening  his  words  became  unintelligi- 
ble." Before  daybreak,  at  the  time  of  the  cathedral 
service,  one  of  his  attendants  read  to  him  from  God's 
Word  the  Scripture :  "  Ye  are  they  which  have  con- 
tinued with  me  in  my  temptations,  and  I  appoint  unto 
you  a  kingdom,  as  my  Father  hath  appointed  unto  me, 
that  ye  may  eat  and  drink  with  me  in  my  kingdom." 
As  he  heard  these  sweet  assurances,  Anselm  bowed 
his  head  upon  his  breast,  and  his  breathing  became 
labored.    The  brethren  were  called.    "  They  lifted  him 


348         THE  FUTURE  WITH  JESUS  CHRIST. 

from  his  couch,  laid  him  on  the  floor  on  sackcloth  and 
ashes,  and  knelt  around  him  in  silent  prayer.     As  the 
day  dawned   on  the   21st  of  April,  he  fell  asleep  in 
esus. 

"  So  fades  a  summer  cloud  away ; 

So  sinks  the  gale  when  storms  are  o'er; 
So  gently  shuts  the  eye  of  day ; 
So  dies  a  wave  along  the  shore." 


Date  Due 


tf/fi^ 


1J 


m&% 


